Gandhi-Irwin Pact
When two parties get into an argument or fight, it is generally solved by compromising
That is called a pact, where people get into formal agreement by arriving on common terms
One such pact was made, as a part of our independence movement
This was the Gandhi-Irwin Pact
This pact was made after Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience movement
Before that movement, India was going through a phase
A phase where Indians were struggling to get their basic needs fulfilled.
Basic necessities such as salt were taxed which made living very difficult for common people
According to that tax, Indians were restricted from producing and trading salt.
Parties like congress ,were fighting against these ill treatment.
But the British Government restricted these parties and also declared them illegal
To fight against these unjust policies of British Gandhi launched a movement
Here Gandhi encouraged people to disobey British laws
This movement started with the famous Dandi March
It started on 6 April,1930. Gandhi marched to Dandi
Here he made salt,using sea water ,thereby breaking the Salt law
This movement spread all over the country
British arrested thousands of people to get the situation under control, including Gandhi
Even though so many people were arrested, the movement was still going on
But Lord Irwin(Viceroy of India at that time) wanted to end the movement
So, Gandhi was released from prison in January 1931
Sardar Vallabhai Patel was the President of Congress then
He allowed Gandhi to discuss terms with Lord Irwin
They had eight meetings during the month of february in 1931
Those eight meetings lasted for 24 hours in total
After those meetings, Gandhi and Irwin signed a pact on 5 March, 1931
Both the parties came to a compromise
As a result, The Civil Disobedience Movement was cancelled by Gandhi
British granted congress reforms in the constitution, which Congress accepted.
Later, Congress took part in the Second Round Table conference in London
Sardar approved Gandhi to represent Congress in these meetings
The tax imposed on salt was removed as a result of the pact
This meant that Indians could now produce and trade salt
Lord Irwin agreed to release all the prisoners who participated in the movement
Restrictions imposed on Congress were withdrawn through this pact
This movement was successful in certain aspects, like abolishing salt tax
But the round table conference, didn’t give results as expected
So Gandhi relaunched, the Civil disobedience movement
But it wasn’t so strong as it started and came to an end in 1934.
The End