Second Round Table Conference: Participants, Consequences

In London, England, from the 7th of September, 1931 to the 1st of December, 1931, a consequential political event, the Second Round Table Conference was held. At that time, the British government had called it to negotiate constitutional reforms for India in reply to the urge for a substantial self-government. Since the First Round Table Conference in 1930 fell through as it was boycotted by the Indian National Congress, the Second Round Table Conference was put into action. Let us explore in this blog about the Second Round Table Conference.

Noteworthy Facts about the Second Round Table Conference

• The Second Round Table Conference was held in England, London from the 7th of September to the 1st of December, 1931.
• The Second Round Table Conference was called to deliberate upon the constitutional reforms for India in reply to the urge for substantial self-government. 
• Mahatma Gandhi was nominated as its sole representative by the Indian National Congress. 
• The representatives from numerous Indian communities and British officials attended the Second Round Table Conference.
• The problems of bringing diversified groups together and reaching a consensus on critical issues was highlighted during the Conference. 

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Participants of the Second Round Table Conference

Here is a list of the Second Round Table Conference participants and their representations. 

Indian States’ Representatives 

• Maharaja of Baroda
• Maharaja Of Darbhanga
• Maharao of Kutch
• Rana of Dholpur
• Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir
• Chief Sahib of Sangli

British-Indian Representatives

Government of India	C. P. Ramaswami Iyer (representative of the Government of British India) Narendra Nath LawM. Ramachandra Rao
Indian National Congress	Mahatma Gandhi (sole representative)
Muslims	Aga Khan III (representative of the Muslim League)Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Hindus	B. S. Moonje (leader of Hindu Mahasabha)
Liberals	C. Y. Chintamani
Depressed Classes	B. R. Ambedkar,Rettamalai Srinivasan
Women	Sarojini Naidu
Labour Class	N. M. Joshi
Sikhs	Sardar Ujjal Singh

British Representatives

• PM of Britain – James Ramsay MacDonald
• Delegates from various political parties of Britain

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The Proceedings of the Second Round Table Conference

• The Second Round Table Conference was divided into sub-committees, which discussed various issues related to 

-the responsibility of the executive to the legislature and 

-a separate Electorate for the Untouchables as demanded by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. 

• The reports of the sub-committees appointed during the Second Round Table Conference were heard and that formed the basis of discussions. 
• The Indian delegates tried to push through some progressive provisions, which were dismissed. 
• Due to a lack of agreement among the multiple delegate groups it meant no substantial results regarding India’s constitutional future.
• With Ramsay MacDonald’s undertaking to produce a Communal Award for minority representation, the Second Round Table Conference ended. 

The Important Events of the Second Round Table Conference

• The British Government had then recognised the significance of the Congress Party’s participation in the Round Table Conferences for constructive reform enactment and conveyed hope that the Indian National Congress leaders would be present at the Second Round Table Conference. 
• The Conference had put forth the labouriousness of the culmination of diverse groups together and then coming to a consensus on the critical issues.
• Mahatma Gandhi was the sole representative of the Indian National Conference. 
• Mahatma Gandhi had announced that he would only work on behalf of the Harijans.
• Britain went into a financial crisis during the conference. 

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The Outcomes of the Second Round Table Conference

• There were no substantial results regarding India’s constitutional future, since there was a lot of disagreements among the various delegate groups. 
• The Second Conference was also deemed a failure due to the disagreements among all the participants.
• Though the Conference did not achieve all of its goals, it did lay the preparations for future discussions and contributed significantly to the Independence process of India.

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