Read the passage and answer the questions:
Gandhi’s Salt March
The Salt March was notable for at least three reasons. First, it was this event that first brought Mahatma Gandhi to world attention. Second, it was the first nationalist activity in which women participated in large numbers. A woman socialist activist had persuaded Gandhiji not to restrict the protests to men alone. Third, and perhaps most significant, was the Salt March, which forced upon the British the realization that their Raj would not last forever, and that they would have to devolve some power to the Indians. To that end, the British government convened a series of “Round Table Conferences” in London. The first meeting was held in November 1930 but without the pre-eminent political leader in India, thus rendering it an exercise in futility. Gandhiji was released from jail in January 1931. A Second Round Table Conference was held in London in the latter part of 1931. Here, Gandhiji represented the Congress. However, his claims that his party represented all of India came under challenge from three parties; from the Muslim League, which claimed to stand for the interests of the Muslim, from the Princes, and from the brilliant lawyer and thinker B.R. Ambedkar, who argued that Gandhiji and the Congress did not really represent the lower castes.
The ‘first’ Round Table Conference was held in which year?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → 1930
The first Round Table Conference was held in London in November 1930, without Gandhiji, the pre-eminent political leader in India, which made it an exercise in futility.
NCERT (2026-27): “3.2 Dialogues … Third, and perhaps most significant, it was the Salt March which forced upon the British the realisation that their Raj would not last forever, and that they would have to devolve some power to the Indians. To that end, the British government convened a series of ‘Round Table Conferences’ in London. The first meeting was held in November 1930, but without the pre-eminent political leader in India, thus rendering it an exercise in futility. Gandhiji was released from jail in January 1931 and the following month had several long meetings with the Viceroy.…” |