“At long lost the report of the Simon Commission came out in May 1930. The Commission disregarded the meaning and aim of Indian nationalism and its forces. It recommended a continuation of Separate Electorate in Indian elections for want of any agreed pact among the Indian political parties: It was the opinion of the Commission that the Nehru Report was not an agreed solution”.
In order to discuss the future political Constitution of India the Government decided to hold Round Table Conference at London. It was necessary that the Depressed Classes must at the critical juncture assert themselves and make it clear to the power that be as to what safeguards and guarantees the future Constitution of India must contain for the protection of their civic rights. With this view it was decided in consultation with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to bring out people from the different provinces of India together for the purpose of the discussion. Accordingly, the All-India Depressed Classes Congress was convened at Nagpur under the Presidentship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on 8th/9th August 1930. On 8th August 1930 Dr. Ambedkar spoke of the Indian problem in the context of British Imperialism or world affair keeping in view the safeguards and guarantees to be provided to the Depressed Classes in the proposed Constitution. of India.
“As declared, the British Government convened a Round Table Conference in London consisting of the representatives of India, the British Government and the British political parties to frame a Constitution for India with a view to satisfying the demands of the people of India.
The Round Table Conference consisted of eighty-nine Members, out of which sixteen were representatives of the three British parties, fifty-three Indian Members of the delegation representing various interest except the non-co- operating Congress, and twenty of the indian States. Amongst the invitees were thirteen eminent Hindu liberal leaders including Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, M.R. Jayakar, Sir Chimanlal Setalvad, Srinivas Sastri and C.Y. Chintamani. Representing the Muslims, were H.H. The Aga Khan, Sir Muhamed Shafi, Mohomed Ali Jinnah and Fazlul Haq, while Sardar Ujjal Singh represented the Sikhs, Dr. B.S. Moonie, the Hindu Mahasahba, K.T. Paul, the Indian Christians, Rulers of Alwar, Baroda, Bhopal, Bikaner, Kashmir, Patiala and Sir Akbar Hydari, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar, Sir Mirza Ismail represented the Indian States. Sir A.P. Patro and Bhaskarrao V. Jadhav represented other interests; Dr. Ambedkar and Rao Bahadur Srinivasan represented the Depressed Classes. Dr. Ambedkar received the invitation to the Round Table Conference through the Viceroy on September 6, 1930. The Round Table Conference was indeed a great event in the history of both India and England. But to the Untouchables it was an epoch- making event in their history; for, it was at this Conference that they were being invested along with other Indians with the right to be consulted in the framing of the Constitution for India. Their voice was to echo for the first time in the history of two thousand years, and more so in the governance of their Motherland.
Dr. Ambedkar left Bombay for London on October 4, 1930, by the S.S. Viceroy of India. The atmosphere in the country was not congenial to his departure. The whole country was in a turmoil. Congressmen hated, abused and cursed those leaders who co-operated with the British Government in solving the Indian problem in their own honest way. The situation was so tense and fraught with danger that Dr. Ambedkar wrote from Aden, on October 8, to Shivtarkar, his secretary and trusted lieutenant, that he was very anxious for their safety. He warned them to be on their guard in their walks and tasks and to avoid all work at night. He asked him to lock the office of the party with an iron bar across it and to watch the movements of a certain Depressed Class leader in Bombay who was at loggerheads with their organization.
Dr. Ambedkar found the political atmosphere in England much sympathetically inclined to the problem of the Depressed Classes. On his arrival, he immediately began to contact Britain’s important political party bosses in connection with the problem of the Depressed Classes. Yet he was anxious to know by cable from the India about the new list of the members nominated to the Bombay Legislative Council and about the judgment of the Court on the Chawdar Tank Case.
The curtain was raised on November 12, 1930. Keen interest was evinced by the British public in the opening of the Round Table Conference. Approaches to the House of Lords, the avenue of the Conference, were thronged by spectators.
(To be continued)
