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300 THEMES IN INDIAN H ISTORY – P ART III Source 5 saluted as a “Saint” and “Statesman”, who was using The problem with “Christian acts as a weapon against men with separate electorates Christian beliefs”. 3.2 Dialogues At the Round Table The Salt March was notable for at least three reasons. ConferenceMahatmaGandhi First, it was this event that first brought Mahatma stated his arguments against Gandhi to world attention. The march was widely covered separate electorates for by the European and American press. Second, it was theDepressedClasses: the first nationalist activity in which women Separate electorates participated in large numbers. The socialist activist to the “Untouchables” Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay had persuaded Gandhiji not will ensure them to restrict the protests to men alone. Kamaladevi was bondage in perpetuity herself one of numerous women who courted arrest by … Do you want the breaking the salt or liquor laws. Third, and perhaps “Untouchables” to most significant, it was the Salt March which forced remain “Untouchables” for ever? Well, the upon the British the realisation that their Raj would separate electorates not last forever, and that they would have to devolve some power to the Indians. would perpetuate To that end, the British government convened a series the stigma. What is needed is destruction of “Round Table Conferences” in London. The first meeting of “Untouchability”, was held in November 1930, but without the pre-eminent and when you have political leader in India, thus rendering it an exercise in done it, the bar- futility. Gandhiji was released from jail in January 1931 sinister, which has been imposed by an and the following month had several long meetings with the Viceroy. These culminated in what was called insolent “superior” the “Gandhi-Irwin Pact’, by the terms of which civil class upon an “inferior” disobedience would be called off, all prisoners released, class will be destroyed. When you have and salt manufacture allowed along the coast. The pact destroyed the bar- was criticised by radical nationalists, for Gandhiji was sinister to whom will unable to obtain from the Viceroy a commitment to you give the separate political independence for Indians; he could obtain merely electorates? an assurance of talks towards that possible end. A second Round Table Conference was held in London in the latter part of 1931. Here, Gandhiji represented the Congress. However, his claims that his party represented all of India came under challenge from three parties: from the Muslim League, which claimed to stand for the interests of the Muslim minority; from the Princes, who claimed that the Congress had no stake in their territories; and from the brilliant lawyer and thinker B.R. Ambedkar, who argued that Gandhiji and the Congress did not really represent the lowest castes. The Conference in London was inconclusive, so Gandhiji returned to India and resumed civil disobedience. The new Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, was deeply unsympathetic to the Indian leader. In a private Reprint 2026-27