Poona Pact

The Poona Pact refers to an agreement between B. R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi signed on 24 September 1932 at Yerwada Central Jail in Pune, India. It was signed by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and B.R. Ambedkar and some other leaders to break the fast unto death undertaken by Gandhi in Yerwada prison to annul the Macdonald Award giving separate electorates to Dalits for electing members of state legislative assemblies in British India.

History

History of Ambedkar-Gandhi relations

Prior to the Poona Pact, Ambedkar thanked Gandhi for having extricated him from a very difficult situation by supporting him and not the extreme Caste Hindu leaders. At the same time he expressed his regret that Gandhi had not shown the same consideration for his point of vie at the Second Round Table Conference.^[1] While Gandhi claimed to be the representative for the Dalits (even giving them a new term - 'Harijans', which literally translates to children of God), a large section of the Dalits were dissatisfied with him. In fact, when Gandhi returned from London to Bombay, Dalits protested against him with such vehemence that the police had to protect Gandhi from the demonstrators.^[2] Gandhi was in fact seen as an adversary to the Dalit cause and Ambedkar strongly believed that Gandhi didn't want 'equality for the Dalits'.^[3] On the other hand was, Dr. Ambedkar who was himself born a Mahar, a Dalit, in Maharashtra. Ambedkar's thoughts on the caste system was based on his critique of pre-colonial Brahmanism which cemented the caste structure so that the cycle of exploitation would continue.^[4] Dr. Ambedkar with his strong critique of the caste structure, arose as the true leader of Dalits. There was thus tension between the two leaders as they both claimed to be representing the Dalits, however both of them had very different thoughts as to how to tackle the problem of casteism. Ambedkar was of the belief that separate electorates would greatly benefit Dalits ensuring political representation. Gandhi on the other hand, believed that if Dalits were given separate electorates, they would be separated from the Hindu society. Gandhi believed himself to be the true representative of all Indians, comprising Dalits as well, and believed that a system of reservation would do 'more harm to Dalits' than it would prove to do good.^[5] So, even before the two leaders met to discuss the issue of separate electorates, there was a sense of tension between the two. Ambedkar vehemently criticised the way of handling the problems of the Harijans by Gandhiji.

History of the Poona Pact

The British invited leaders of different parties in the Round Table Conferences in 1930-32 to draft a new law involving self-rule for the Indians. Mahatma Gandhi did not attend the first and the last but attended the second of the Conferences. The concept of separate electorates for the Untouchables was raised by Ambedkar. Similar provisions were already available for other minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Anglo-Indians and Sikhs. The British government agreed with Ambedkar's contention and British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald's Communal Award to the depressed classes was to be incorporated into the constitution in the governance of British India. Gandhi strongly opposed the Communal Award on the grounds that it would disintegrate Hindu society. Ambedkar vehemently criticised the way of handling the problems of the Harijans by Gandhiji. Gandhi took up a fast unto death in his prison cell in Poona, protesting that separate electorates were a device which would separate the untouchables from the Hindu society forever.^[6] He began an indefinite hunger strike at Yerwada Central Jail from 20 September 1932 to protest against this Award. A compromise was reached on 24 September 1932.

The text uses the term "Depressed Classes" to denote Untouchables who were later called Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under India Act 1935, and the later Indian Constitution of 1950.

Terms of the Pact

The Terms of the Poona Pact were as follows.

1. There shall be seats reserved for the Depressed Classes out of general electorate. Seats in the Provincial Legislatures were as follows: -

These figures are based on the total strength of the Provincial Councils announced in the (British)Prime Minister's decision.

2. Election to these seats shall be by joint electorates subject, however, to the following procedure –

All members of the Depressed Classes registered in the general electoral roll of a constituency will form an electoral college which will elect a panel of four candidates belonging to the Depressed Classes for each of such reserved seats by the method of the single vote and four persons getting the highest number of votes in such primary elections shall be the candidates for election by the general electorate.

3. The representation of the Depressed Classes in the Central Legislature shall likewise be on the principle of joint electorates and reserved seats by the method of primary election in the manner provided for in clause above for their representation in the provincial legislatures.

Central Legislature

4. In the Central Legislature 19 per cent of the seats allotted to the general electorate for British India in the said legislature shall be reserved for the Depressed Classes.

5. The system of primary election to a panel of candidates for election to the Central and Provincial Legislatures as herein-before mentioned shall come to an end after the first ten years, unless terminated sooner by mutual agreement under the provision of clause 6 below.

6. The system of representation of Depressed Classes by reserved seats in the Provincial and Central Legislatures as provided for in clauses (1) and (4) shall continue until determined otherwise by mutual agreement between the communities concerned in this settlement.

7. The Franchise for the Central and Provincial Legislatures of the Depressed Classes shall be as indicated, in the Lothian Committee Report.

8. There shall be no disabilities attached to any one on the ground of his being a member of the Depressed Classes in regard to any election to local bodies or appointment to the public services. Every endeavour shall be made to secure a fair representation of the Depressed Classes in these respects, subject to such educational qualifications as may be laid down for appointment to the Public Services.

9. In every province out of the educational grant an adequate sum shall be ear-marked for providing educational facilities to the members of Depressed Classes.

See also

• Gandhi–Irwin Pact
• Forward Castes
• Other Backward Classes
• Scheduled Castes and Tribes

References

External links