Question

Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?

Answer 1

Dalits Demand for Separate Electorate – Second Round Table Conference and Poona Pact

• The Dalits or Oppressed class were not moved by the abstract concept of swaraj.
• Congress had ignored the plight of Dalits for too long.
• Gandhiji called the ‘untouchables’ harijan, meaning Children of God and organised Satyagraha to give equality to Dalits.
• However, a different political solution was in the minds of Dalit leaders for the problems faced by the community. They believed political empowerment was a solution to the social evils faced by this community.
• Hence, dalit leaders demanded separate electorate that would choose dalit members for legislative councils.
• They began demanding reserved seats in educational institutions and began organising themselves.
• At the Second Round Table Conference, there was a clash between Mahatma Gandhi and B.R.Ambedkar.
• The clash was due to the demand for separate electorates for dalits by Dr B.R.Ambedkar.
• Gandhiji began fast unto death, when British Government accepted the demand of Dr B.R.Ambedkar for a separate electorate.
• Gandhiji believed that the process of integration of Dalits into the society would be slowed down, if separate electorates are given to the Dalits.
• Finally the position of Mahatma Gandhi was accepted by Dr B.R.Ambedkar, which resulted in the signing of the Poona Pact in September 1932.
• As per the Poona pact, provincial and central legislative councils seats were reserved for depressed classes. The General electorate would vote for them.

Separate Electorate for Muslims

• The divide between Muslim League and Congress was getting widened.
• In 1927, they tried to negotiate an alliance.
• Muhammed Ali Jinnah was willing to give up the demand for separate electorates, he was one of the leaders of Muslim League.
• Willingness to give up demand for separate electorates was based on the conditions that Muslims should be given representation in proportion to the population in the Muslim dominated provinces of Punjab and Bengal and Muslims would be given reserved seats in the Central Assembly.
• There was strong opposition from M.R.Jayakar of the Hindu Mahasabha. Due to this opposition for a compromise, the issue could not be resolved in 1928 at the All Parties Conference.
• As the President of Muslim League, in 1930, Muhammad Iqbal, stressed on the importance of separate electorates for the Muslim community.
• He said a separate electorate was needed to safeguard the political interests of the minority and said Muslims faced economic inferiority.