Growing opposition and discontent in the country forced Viceroy Lord Irvin to invite Gandhi to agree to a pact.
The pact was duly signed. According to the pact all the political prisoners put in jails in various movements were to be released.
Then, Round Table Conferences started in London to work out a constitution for future India.
Gandhiji didn’t attend the first conference. He decided to attend the Second conference which was to be held in August, 1931.
Meanwhile, sharp differences had arisen between Dalit leader Dr. Ambedkar and Gandhi. Dr. Ambedkar was demanding separate constituency for untouchables in elections. Gandhi was against it. He thought the demand could break up Hindu society which would serve the cause of the British who wanted Indian society fragmented into pieces.
Gandhiji was offering reserved seats for Harijans within Hindu section quota.
Gandhiji and his group reached London on 24th August, 1931. Even before participating in conference Gandhiji declared that Indians would get little from the conference. And so it proved. He returned empty handed but his differences with Dr. Ambedkar had deepened further.
Back home, the Congress leaders were again arrested.
By now the British had won over Muslim League and Dalit leaders to its side.
In August, 1932 the British Prime Minister announced that Dr. Ambedkar’s demand had been accepted and Harijans would be separate constituency in electoral processes.
It anguished Gandhiji. He thought that it was a conspiracy to destroy Hindu society.
In protest Gandhiji sat on ‘Fast unto death’ on 20th September, 1932. It anguished the whole country. His life was too precious for the country to lose. Pressure was brought upon Dr. Ambedkar to accept the proposal of Gandhiji. Dr. Ambedkar at last yielded when it became clear that if Bapu died he would be held responsible for it.
Dr. Ambedkar signed the agreement formula but he always felt that he had been politically blackmailed by the Congressmen.
In 1933, Gandhiji brought out ‘Harijan’ periodical. In the same year with Gandhiji’s blessings the Congress fought provincial council elections and registered impressive victories. In 1938 Gandhiji toured Frontier Provinces and became friends with Badshah Khan.
In 1939, the Second World War began. The Congress refused to help the British this time. Some Congress leaders wanted Congress to become aggressive but Gandhiji was strictly against it.
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