Poona Pact (1932)

DR B.R. Ambedkar negotiated the Poona Pact with Mahatma Gandhi in late September 1932. The background to the Poona Pact was the Communal Award of August 1932, which reserved 71 seats in the central legislature for the depressed classes. Gandhiji was opposed to the Communal Award. He saw it as a British attempt to split Hindus. He began a fast unto death to have it repealed.

Poona Pact will be helpful for UPSC IAS Exam preparation. GS Paper-1 History.

Table of Content

• What was Poona Pact?
• Background of Poona Pact
• Main Features of Poona Pact
• Impact of Poona Pact on Dalits
• Difference in Approaches of Gandhi And Ambedkar
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What was Poona Pact?

• Poona Pact was signed on September 24, 1932, at Yerwada Central Jail in Poona, India.
• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar represented the Dalits, depressed classes, and upper-caste Hindu leaders during the agreement.
• Main objective: to secure reserved electoral seats for the depressed classes in the British Indian legislature.
• Other signatories of the Poona Pact: Madan Mohan Malviya(represented upper caste Hindus), Faraz Shah, and Sana Ejaz.

Background of Poona Pact

• During his imprisonment by the British, Gandhi initiated a hunger strike to protest against British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald’s decision.
• The decision was a response to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s advocacy for separate electorates for the depressed classes in British India’s provincial legislative assembly elections.
• Gandhiji opposed the idea of separate electorates.
  • He expressed concerns about the division it may cause within Hinduism.
• Ambedkar argued that the depressed classes needed their own leaders for better representation, as the upper-caste reformers couldn’t fully understand their issues.
• The Poona Pact resolved the disagreement by agreeing to reserve 147 electoral seats for the Depressed Classes, a significant increase compared to MacDonald’s proposal.
• The signing of the pact led to the observation of ‘Temple Entry Day’ on January 8, 1933.

Main Features of Poona Pact

• Reserved seats for the Depressed Classes in Provincial Legislatures
  • Madras: 30 seats
  • Bombay with Sind: 15 seats
  • Punjab: 8 seats  
  • Bihar and Orissa: 18 seats
  • Central Provinces: 20 seats
  • Assam: 7 seats
  • Bengal: 30 seats
  • United Provinces: 20 seats
  • Total: 148 seats
• Election to these reserved seats will be conducted through joint electorates, following the procedure outlined below:
  • Members of the Depressed Classes registered in a constituency’s general electoral roll will form an electoral college.
  • It will elect a panel of four candidates from the Depressed Classes for each reserved seat using the single-vote method.
  • Four candidates receiving the highest number of votes in the primary election will be candidates for the general electorate election.
• Representation of the Depressed Classes in the Central Legislature will follow the same principle of joint electorates and reserved seats as in the Provincial Legislatures.
• In the Central Legislature, 18% of the seats allocated to the general electorate for British India will be reserved for the Depressed Classes.
• The system of the primary election for candidate panels in the Central and Provincial Legislatures will end after the first ten years or by mutual agreement.
• The system of representation through reserved seats for the Depressed Classes in the Provincial and Central Legislatures will continue until mutually agreed upon by the communities involved.
• The franchise for the Depressed Classes in the Central and Provincial Legislatures will be as outlined in the Lothian Committee Report.
• No disadvantages will be imposed on anyone belonging to the Depressed Classes regarding elections to local bodies or appointments to the Public Services.
• Efforts will be made to ensure fair representation for the Depressed Classes in these areas, with consideration for educational qualifications required for Public Services appointments.
• A sufficient amount from the educational grant in each province will be allocated to provide educational facilities for the Members of the Depressed Classes.

Impact of Poona Pact on Dalits

• Despite granting political rights to the depressed classes, the pact did not achieve their desired emancipation.
  • It allowed the existing Hindu social order to persist and created several problems.
• The Pact turned the depressed classes into political tools for dominant caste Hindu organizations.
• It deprived the depressed classes of capable leaders, as genuine representatives struggled against puppet leaders supported by caste Hindu organizations.
• The depressed classes were compelled to accept the status quo in politics, ideology, and culture, lacking independent and authentic leadership to challenge the Brahminical order.
• It assimilated the depressed classes into the Hindu social order, denying their separate and distinct existence.
• It hindered the realization of an ideal society based on equality, liberty, fraternity, and justice.

Difference in Approaches of Gandhi And Ambedkar

Ambedkar’s Approach	Gandhi’s Approach
Ambedkar believed in the annihilation of the caste system as it was beyond reforms.	Gandhi did not support abolishing the caste system or the Varnashrama order.
Ambedkar considered the caste question a political issue and sought a political solution for the upliftment of the depressed classes. He emphasized the importance of equal participation for the depressed classes in political democracy.	Gandhi viewed the caste issue as a social matter. He aimed to reform it by changing people’s hearts and minds.
Ambedkar advocated for a rights-based approach to address caste-related problems.	Gandhi’s approach involved faith and spirituality to sensitize the upper caste towards the plight of the depressed classes.
Ambedkar referred to the depressed classes as “Dalits” to give them a political identity.	Gandhi called the depressed classes “Harijan” to invoke spirituality. He raise awareness among the upper caste about the struggles of the depressed classes.

Conclusion

The Poona Pact had several positive outcomes for DR B.R. Ambedkar. The pact emphatically sealed his leadership of the depressed classes across India. Ambedkar made the entire country, and not just the Congress Party, morally responsible for the uplift of the depressed classes. Most of all he succeeded in making the depressed classes a formidable political force for the first time in history.

Ref: Source-1

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)