The Poona Pact of September 1932 was an agreement between Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar that enhanced the political representation of the Dalit classes—now known as the Scheduled Castes (SC). The Poona Pact was a settlement between caste Hindus and the Dalit classes, signed by 23 individuals; these included Madan Mohan Malviya and Gandhi on behalf of the Hindus, and Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar on behalf of the Dalit classes.
Background of the Poona Pact
In 1909, under the Indian Councils Act, seats in legislative bodies were allocated on the basis of identity for the first time. In 1919, certain seats were allocated for the 'Depressed Classes,' and in 1925, the number of these seats was further increased.
The background of the Poona Pact can be traced to the 'Communal Award' of August 1932, under which 71 seats were reserved for the Depressed Classes in the Central Legislature. During the Second Round Table Conference, the British government had proposed separate electorates—under the framework of the Communal Award—for the Depressed Classes, Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, and other groups; it was as a result of this that the Poona Pact came into existence. Gandhiji disagreed with the idea of separate electorates for the Depressed Classes, although he had no objection to them for other groups. Strongly opposing this Award, he commenced a fast unto death, as he perceived it to be an attempt by the British government to divide the Hindus.
Negotiations and Agreements
As tensions escalated, dialogue between Gandhi and Ambedkar became imperative. The primary source of disagreement was Ambedkar's demand for separate electorates for the Dalit classes—a demand that Gandhi vehemently opposed. Gandhi's opposition was rooted in the belief that such segregation would only serve to deepen the fissures within Hindu society.
A decisive turning point occurred on September 24, 1932, when 23 representatives signed the 'Poona Pact'; among them were Madan Mohan Malviya, representing the Hindus, and Gandhi and Ambedkar, representing the Dalit classes. Deviating from the 'Communal Award,' this pact allocated 148 seats to the Dalit classes in the legislative assemblies—a figure significantly higher than the 80 seats originally earmarked for them.
Although Ambedkar had favored the 'Communal Award,' he nonetheless consented to sign the 'Poona Pact.' The 'Poona Pact' was signed on September 24, 1932, at 5:00 PM, at the Yeravda Central Jail in Poona, India. Gandhi himself was not among the signatories of the 'Poona Pact,' but his son, Devadas Gandhi, signed the agreement.
At that time, Gandhi—who had been imprisoned by the British government—had commenced a fast unto death in protest against a decision taken by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. MacDonald had arrived at this decision in response to arguments presented by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar during the 'Round Table Conferences,' which proposed granting separate electorates to the Dalit classes for the election of members to the provincial assemblies in British India. Gandhi wrote that separate electorates would "divide and disintegrate" Hinduism. Conversely, Ambedkar argued that upper-caste reformers could not adequately represent the Dalit classes, and that the latter required leaders of their own. Ultimately, an agreement was reached on 147 electoral seats under this pact. Under the 'Poona Pact,' the number of seats reserved for the Dalit classes was approximately double the number of seats allocated under MacDonald's proposal for 'separate electorates.' January 8, 1933, was observed as 'Temple Entry Day.'
Provisions of the Poona Pact (1932)
The Poona Pact of 1932—a significant agreement between Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar—laid the foundation for key provisions that shaped the political representation of the 'depressed classes' (now referred to as 'Scheduled Castes').
Reserved Seats in the Agreement
This agreement provided for the allocation of seats reserved for 'Dalit classes' from the general electorate in various provinces. Their distribution was as follows:
Madras: 30 seats
Bombay with Sindh: 25 seats
Punjab: 8 seats
Bihar and Orissa: 18 seats
Central Provinces: 20 seats
Assam: 7 seats
Bengal: 30 seats
United Provinces: 20 seats
These numbers were determined based on the total membership of the provincial councils mentioned in Ramsay MacDonald's decision.
Joint Electorate and Primary Elections
Elections for these reserved seats were to be conducted through joint electorates, a process characterized by a unique procedural feature. All members of the 'Depressed Classes' included in the general electoral roll of a constituency collectively constituted a separate 'electorate'. Subsequently, this electorate would select a panel of four candidates for each reserved seat through a 'single-vote system'. Only those four candidates who topped these primary elections would become the final candidates eligible for consideration by the general electorate.
This very principle of joint electorates and primary elections also applied to the representation of the 'Depressed Classes' in the Central Legislature. In this context, 18% of the seats allocated to the general electorate for 'British India' in the Central Legislature were reserved for the 'Depressed Classes'.
Duration and Termination
During the discussions, a primary point of contention was the system of primary elections and the duration of reserved seats. Ambedkar proposed that this system should automatically lapse after a decade, and that a referendum regarding reserved seats should be held after 15 years. However, Gandhi suggested a shorter timeframe—specifically five years—for the referendum. As per the agreement reached, the system of primary elections for panel candidates would cease after the initial ten years, provided that it had not already been terminated earlier through mutual consent among the communities falling within the purview of the agreement.
Suffrage and Non-discrimination
This agreement ensured that the franchise for the 'Depressed Classes' in the central and provincial legislatures would be in accordance with the recommendations of the Lothian Committee Report. Most importantly, it guaranteed that, with regard to elections to local bodies or appointments to government services, no restriction or disqualification would be imposed on any individual on the grounds of being a member of the 'Depressed Classes.' Efforts were to be made to secure adequate representation for the 'Depressed Classes' in these spheres, taking into account their educational qualifications as well.
educational facilities
In every province, a portion of educational grants was specifically earmarked to provide adequate educational facilities to members of the 'downtrodden sections.'
Duration and Flexibility
The system of representation through reserved seats and primary elections shall continue until an alternative decision is reached through mutual consensus among the concerned communities. The objective of this provision was to maintain flexibility for potential adjustments based on changing circumstances or a consensus reached among the concerned parties.
No comments:
Post a Comment