At the Lahore session of Indian National Congress (INC) late in 1929, the INC decided that January 26, 1930 should be observed all over India as the Purna Swaraj Day. A public declaration was made and Indians were urged to celebrate the day as Independence Day.
It was on March 5 1931 that the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed between Gandhiji, who served as the leader of the Indian nationalist movement, and Lord Irwin, who was British viceroy of India at that time. The pact marked the end of a period of civil disobedience or satyagraha with the Dandi salt march in 1930.
While the British government agreed to set all political prisoners free in exchange for a pledge to give up the satyagraha campaign in this pact, the revolutionaries were not set free and the death sentence for Bhagat Singh and his two comrades was not taken back.
Congress continued its protest against the government. As Gandhiji’s Civil Disobedience Movement became stronger, the British parliament passed the Government of India Act in August 1935. It proposed a Federation of India – comprising British India, some or all of the princely states. The Federation of India – comprising British India, some or all of the princely states. The Federation idea failed as many princely states did not join it.
Did you know?
The Lord Irwin of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact refers to Edward Fredrick Lindley Wood.
While Wood was Lord Irwin from 1925 until 1934, he was the Viscount Halifax from 1934 until 1944 and the first Earl of Halifax thereafter.
A senior politician who served in various capacities, Lord Irwin was the British viceroy of India from 1925-31.
Picture Credit : Google
