Question

Explain the following statement with a reason.

The deliberations in the First Round Table Conference proved to be meaningless. 

Answer 1

1. The first Roundtable conference was from 12 November 1932 to 19 January 1931. Before this, Gandhiji had already started the civil disobedience movement on behalf of the Indian National Congress.
2. Consequently, the Congress leaders were in jail and were not able to participate in the first conference. However, the representatives of all other Indian parties, as well as a number of princes, did attend this conference. However, the outcome in the first Roundtable conference proved to be meaningless.
3. It was proposed that India would develop into a federation, the defence system would be improved, and the finance was also agreed. However, little effort was made to implement these recommendations.
4. The civil disobedience movement continued in India. The British government then realized that the Indian National Congress needed to be a part of this conference to decide the future of constitutional government in India.