Indian Round Table Conference 1931

Abstract

1. The Committee’ s task at the Second Session of the Conference -was to continue their -discussions at the point at which they were left by their Report of the 13th January, 1931, and by the Prime Minister's Declaration of the 19th January, and to endeavor, so : far as possible, to fill in the outlines of the Federal Constitution for Or eater India which was sketched in those documents. 2. In approaching this task, the Committee have been assisted by colleagues who did not share in their earlier deliberations. In this connexion it will be remembered that, in virtue of an agreement recorded in March last, the Indian National Congress decided to participate in their labours. 3. Since January last, there has been much public discussion of ■the constitutional proposals which emerged from the last Session of •fclte Conference. The Committee resumed their deliberations with June knowledge of this public discussion, and with the conviction •fcliat it is in a Federation of Provinces and States that the solution o f the problem of India’ s constitutional future is to be found. 4. A further examination of the problem has confirmed them in the belief that by no other line of development can the ideal in view \ye fully realised. For this purpose it is essential that the “ India ” 0 f the future should include, along with British India, that ‘ e Indian India ” which, if Burma is excluded, embraces nearly h a l f of the area and nearly one-fourth of the population of the country—an area and population, moreover, which are not selfcontained and apart geographically or racially, but are part and parcel of the country’ s fabric; and its constitution must be drawn 0U lines which will provide a satisfactory solution for the problem 0f the existence, side by side, of future self-governing Provinces and of States with widely varying polities and different degrees of internal sovereignty, whose fortunes are, and must continue to be, closely interwoven. 5. The Committee rejoice to think that the Princes, while naturally determined to maintain their internal sovereignty, are prepared, and indeed anxious, to share with the British Indian provinces in directing the common affairs of India.