What was Gandhi Irwin Pact? – Terms and Resentments

The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was a political agreement signed by Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India, on 5 March 1931. It was signed before Second Round Table Conference in London.

In October 1929, Lord Irwin had announced an indefinite offer of dominion status to British-occupied India in an unspecified future and a Round Table Conference to discuss a future constitution.

Sarojini Naidu described Gandhi and Lord Irwin as “The Two Leaders” had eight meetings that added 24 hours. Sincerity of Irwin impressed Mahatma Gandhi.

Terms of Gandhi-Irwin Pact

In this agreement, Lord Irwin has accepted that –

• Removal of all prosecutions relating to several types of offenses except those involving violence
• Indians will be given the right to make salt along the coast.
• Indians can picket in front of liquor and foreign clothing shops.
• Those who resigned during the movement will be restored to their posts.
• The property seized during the movement will be returned.

Gandhiji accepted the following terms from the Congress –

• The civil disobedience movement will be suspended.
• The Congress will join the Second Round Table Conference.
• The Congress will not boycott British goods.
• Gandhiji will give up the demand to investigate the excesses of the police.

View of Britishers on the Gandhi-Irwin Pact

Numerous British officials in India and Great Britain were offended by the ideo of a pact with a party whose main purpose was the destruction of British Raj.

Winston Churchill openly stated his objection “…at the nauseating and humiliating spectacle of this one-time Inner Temple lawyer, now seditious fakir, striding half-naked up the steps of the Viceroy’s palace, there to negotiate and parley on equal terms with the representative of the King Emperor.”

>>>Read About Poona Pact, 1932