The Round Table

Between 1930 and 1935 Dr. Ambedkar’s work moved from a temple gate in Nashik to the conference halls of London. India was preparing a new constitution, and he made sure the people treated as “untouchable”, then called the Depressed Classes, had a voice in it. That brought him into a famous disagreement with Mahatma Gandhi.

Knocking at the temple door: Kalaram, Nashik (1930)

The Kalaram Temple in Nashik is a famous temple of the god Rama. Untouchables were not allowed inside. A local committee, with Bhaurao Gaikwad as secretary, warned the trustees to open it or face a protest BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 181.

On Sunday 2 March 1930 about 15,000 people gathered under Dr. Ambedkar BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 181. He told them the real aim was not to see an idol:

“Our real problem is not going to be solved by the entry into the Ram Temple. … But this is a test to judge the high caste Hindu mind.”

— Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Nashik, 2 March 1930 (English translation by the BAWS editors from a Marathi source) BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 182

From 3 March, batches of protesters sat at the four gates, starting with 125 men and 25 women. The temple stayed locked BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 183. On 9 April, at the Ram Navami chariot procession, a deal to let both sides pull the chariot broke down. Stones were thrown and Dr. Ambedkar was slightly hurt BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 184. He wrote to the Governor that caste-Hindu constables had joined the attack BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, pp. 187–191.

The protest went on, on and off, for years. Dr. Ambedkar later wrote that it lasted “full six years” and was closed at Yeola in 1935 BAWS Vol. 9, p. 247.

Janata and a national platform (1930)

His paper Bahishkrit Bharat had closed in 1929. On 2 October 1930 he announced a new paper, Janata (“The People”) Keer, Dr. Ambedkar: Life and Mission, p. 145. His colleagues Devrao Naik and B. R. Kadrekar launched it while he was in London Keer, p. 156. By late 1931 it had become a weekly BAWS Vol. 17 Part II, p. 408. It ran until 1956 Pritchett timeline, 1920s.

On 8–9 August 1930 he presided over the All-India Depressed Classes Congress at Nagpur BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, p. 13. He said his people should stay independent of both the British and the Congress BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, p. 54. He also warned:

“Political power cannot be a panacea for the ills of the Depressed Classes. Their salvation lies in their social elevation.”

— Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Nagpur, 8 August 1930 BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, p. 58

London: the Round Table Conferences (1930–1932)

The British government called Indian leaders to London to discuss a new constitution. These meetings were called Round Table Conferences. The first opened on 12 November 1930 and ended on 19 January 1931 Keer, pp. 147, 156. Gandhi and the Congress, then leading a civil disobedience campaign against British rule, did not attend it Keer, p. 171. The Viceroy invited Dr. Ambedkar and Rao Bahadur R. Srinivasan to speak for the Depressed Classes Pritchett timeline, 1930s BAWS Vol. 2, p. 503.

On 20 November 1930 he told the conference that 150 years of British rule had not ended untouchability, and that the Depressed Classes wanted self-government, but with a share of power BAWS Vol. 2, pp. 503–505.

“We feel that nobody can remove our grievances as well as we can, and we cannot remove them unless we get political power in our own hands.”

— Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Round Table Conference, 20 November 1930 BAWS Vol. 2, p. 505

With Srinivasan he set out written conditions. First came “equal citizenship”: a fundamental right ending every legal disability caused by untouchability BAWS Vol. 2, p. 546. For elections they asked for votes for all adults and separate electorates for ten years, then joint electorates with reserved seats BAWS Vol. 2, p. 551.

Two words to know. In a separate electorate, only voters of one community elect that community’s members. With reserved seats in a joint electorate, everyone votes together, but certain seats can only be won by a candidate from that community.

The second conference ran from 7 September to 1 December 1931, and this time Gandhi came to represent the Congress Keer, p. 171 BAWS Vol. 9, p. 80. The third began on 17 November 1932, without the Congress Keer, p. 223. Dr. Ambedkar attended all three Pritchett timeline, 1930s.

Two leaders, two views

Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar first met on 14 August 1931 at Mani Bhavan in Bombay. Gandhi’s tone was mild; Dr. Ambedkar spoke with passion and bitterness about how little had changed, according to Keer and Columbia’s timeline Keer, pp. 164–166 Pritchett timeline, 1930s.

Both wanted untouchability to end. They disagreed about how. On 8 October 1931 Gandhi explained his position:

“I am opposed to their special representation. I am convinced that it can do them no good, and may do much harm.”

— M. K. Gandhi, Minorities Committee, 8 October 1931 BAWS Vol. 2, p. 660

Gandhi believed the Congress represented the untouchables. He thought votes for all adults and strict laws against caste persecution would help them more BAWS Vol. 2, pp. 660–661. He also feared that separate seats would create “a division in Hinduism” BAWS Vol. 9, p. 69. Dr. Ambedkar answered at once that he truly spoke for his people: “whether I am a nominee or not, I fully represent the claims of my community” BAWS Vol. 2, p. 661.

On 13 November 1931 Dr. Ambedkar joined Muslim, Anglo-Indian, European and some Christian delegates in a joint “Minorities Pact” BAWS Vol. 9, pp. 67–68. Gandhi rejected it that day:

“I would not sell the vital interests of the Untouchables even for the sake of winning the freedom of India.”

— M. K. Gandhi, Minorities Committee, 13 November 1931, quoted by Dr. Ambedkar BAWS Vol. 9, p. 68

In the same speech Gandhi said he would resist separate rights for untouchables “with my life” BAWS Vol. 9, p. 69. The British Library keeps the committee’s minutes and memoranda, including papers by Dr. Ambedkar British Library, IOR/Q/RTC/25.

The Communal Award (August 1932)

The Indian delegates could not agree, so Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald decided. His “Communal Award” was announced on 17 August 1932 BAWS Vol. 9, p. 79. Depressed Classes voters would vote in general constituencies like other Hindus. They would also elect a few members of their own in special constituencies. This “double vote” was to last 20 years BAWS Vol. 9, pp. 81–82. A newspaper report written during the later talks counted 71 such seats in the provinces BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 164.

Gandhi’s fast and the Poona Pact (September 1932)

Gandhi, then a prisoner in Yerwada jail in Poona, wrote on 18 August that he would fast unto death unless the separate electorates for the Depressed Classes were withdrawn BAWS Vol. 9, p. 82. MacDonald replied that the award kept them inside the Hindu electorate and only gave them “a limited number” of their own spokesmen BAWS Vol. 9, pp. 83–86. Gandhi answered that “for me this matter is one of pure religion”, and began fasting on 20 September 1932 BAWS Vol. 9, p. 87.

The British would change the award only if the two sides agreed. Everyone looked to Dr. Ambedkar. He later wrote that he faced a choice between saving Gandhi’s life and saving his people’s rights, and that he “responded to the call of humanity” BAWS Vol. 9, p. 88. In the talks he asked for 197 seats; the other side first offered 126 BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 160. The agreement was signed at 5 p.m. on 24 September 1932, by Dr. Ambedkar for the Depressed Classes and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya for the caste Hindus BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, pp. 165–166. Gandhi ended his fast on 26 September constitutionofindia.net.

What the Poona Pact changed

	Communal Award (Aug 1932)	Poona Pact (Sept 1932)
How members were chosen	Special seats elected only by Depressed Classes voters	All voters elect, from a panel of four chosen by Depressed Classes voters
Votes per Depressed Classes voter	Two (special seat plus general seat)	One
Seats in provinces	71 (some accounts say 78)	148
Central legislature	Left for later	18% of general seats
How long	20 years	Panel system 10 years; reserved seats until both sides agree to end them

BAWS Vol. 9, pp. 80–82 (Award) BAWS Vol. 9, pp. 88–90 (Pact) BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 164

The pact also promised fair recruitment to public jobs and education funds in every province BAWS Vol. 9, p. 89. The 148 seats later became 151 under the Government of India Act, 1935 BAWS Vol. 9, p. 94.

The day after signing, Dr. Ambedkar spoke generously at a meeting in Bombay:

“I must confess that I was immensely surprised, when I met him, that there was so much in common between him and me.”

— Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on Gandhi, Bombay, 25 September 1932 BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 170

Later he judged the pact harshly. In 1945 he wrote that the extra seats did not make up for losing the second vote, which would have made caste-Hindu candidates depend on Depressed Classes votes BAWS Vol. 9, p. 90. The caste-Hindu leaders who met in Bombay on 25 September 1932 also promised to work to remove untouchability, including the bar on entering temples BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 170. In 1933 Gandhi started a weekly paper named Harijan, the word he used for untouchables Pritchett timeline, 1930s BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, p. 98.

Principal, and a great loss (1935)

He taught part-time at the Government Law College from June 1934 Keer, p. 244. The Bombay government made him its Principal from 1 June 1935 Keer, p. 249. A January 1936 article signed “Principal, Government Law College, Bombay” shows his ideas for better legal education BAWS Vol. 17 Part II, p. 5.

His wife Ramabai died on 27 May 1935 after a long illness Keer, p. 248. She had wished to visit the temple at Pandharpur, which would not have admitted her Pritchett timeline, 1930s. Another chapter tells her story.

“I will not die a Hindu”: Yeola (1935)

On 13 October 1935 about 10,000 people met at Yeola, in Nashik district BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, p. 94. Dr. Ambedkar said ten years of struggle for equal rights inside Hindu society had failed. He said he had been born a Hindu untouchable, which he could not prevent, but he could refuse to live under humiliation:

“I solemnly assure you that I will not die a Hindu.”

— Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Yeola, 13 October 1935, as reported by Keer BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, p. 95

The conference ended the Kalaram satyagraha BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, p. 96. Gandhi replied that “religion is not like house or cloak” to be changed at will. Dr. Ambedkar answered that inequality was the basis of Hinduism and that “Hindu religion is not good for us” BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, pp. 97–98. He kept that promise 21 years later, as a later chapter shows.

Where sources disagree

• Start of the Nashik satyagraha. Most sources give 2 March 1930 BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 181. The 1982 introduction to BAWS Vol. 2 says 1929 BAWS Vol. 2, 2014 reprint, p. xi (Internet Archive).
• How long it lasted. Keer says the temple stayed shut “for a whole year” BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 185; Dr. Ambedkar wrote “full six years” BAWS Vol. 9, p. 247; PARI says he pursued it until 1934 PARI.
• Start of Janata. Columbia’s timeline puts it in 1929 Pritchett timeline, 1920s; Keer places the launch in late 1930 Keer, pp. 145, 156. The often-quoted day, 24 November 1930, we could not confirm in a primary source.
• Communal Award seats. A 1932 press report and Keer say 71 BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 164 Keer, p. 216; Dr. Ambedkar himself wrote 78 in 1945 BAWS Vol. 9, p. 90.
• Date of the award. BAWS says 17 August 1932 BAWS Vol. 9, p. 79; many textbooks say 16 August.
• Central seats. The pact’s text says 18% BAWS Vol. 9, p. 89; Keer’s narrative says 10% BAWS Vol. 17 Part I, p. 165.
• Bombay’s seats in the pact. BAWS prints “Bombay with Sind 15” (total 148); constitutionofindia.net prints 25, which would not add up to 148 constitutionofindia.net.
• Yeola date. BAWS and Keer say 13 October 1935; Forward Press says 12 October Forward Press.
• How long he was Principal. Keer says he resigned in May 1938 Keer, p. 309; in 1951 he himself recalled “five years” BAWS Vol. 17 Part III, p. 422.

Read more

• BAWS Vol. 2, Part III — his Round Table Conference speeches and memoranda, pp. 503–672.
• BAWS Vol. 9, What Congress and Gandhi Have Done to the Untouchables (1945) — his own account of the Award, the fast and the pact.
• BAWS Vol. 17 Part I — Kalaram and Poona Pact documents.
• British Library: Round Table Conference records (IOR/Q/RTC) — the official files in London.
• Dhananjay Keer, Dr. Ambedkar: Life and Mission — chapters “War with Gandhi” and “A Thunderbolt”.
• Frances Pritchett’s timeline, 1930s — Columbia University summary.