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Restrictions imposed on Congress were withdrawn through this pact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