ROLE OF ......................... INDIAN DEMOCRACY 73
by cable from India about the new list of the members nominated to the Bombay Legislative Council and about the judgment of the Court on the Chawdar Tank Case.
The curtain was raised on November 12, 1930. Keen interest was evinced by the British public in the opening of the Round Table Conference. Approaches to the House of Lords, the avenue of the Conference, were thronged by spectators. His Majesty the King-Emperor appeared. Inaugurating the Conference, he said : “More than once the Sovereign has summoned historic assemblies on the soil of India, but never before have British and Indian statesmen and Rulers of Indian States met, as you now meet, in one place round one table, to discuss the future system of Government for India and seek agreement for the guidance of my Parliament as to the foundations upon which it must stand.” The KingEmperor concluded by expressing a hope : “May your names go down to history as those of men who served India well”. After the King-Emperor had withdrawn from the House, Ramsay MacDonald was unanimously elected Chairman of the Round Table Conference. A labour leader and author of The Government of India, he expressed Britain’s determination to solve the Indian problem, and said that they were at the birth of a new history.
The Round Table Conference was not a Constituent Assembly entrusted with the work of drafting a Constitution. It was a gathering of Indian and British statesmen who were not to take decisions by votes. The sense of the Conference on the main issues which came up before it for consideration was to be ascertained and noted.
The venue of the Conference thereafter shifted to St. James’ Palace. During the course of a general discussion which took place from 17th November to 21st November, Sapru, Jayakar. Moonje, Jinnah, the Maharaja of Bikaner and Dr. Ambedkar made very sincere and impressive speeches. In his lucid and appealing style the guide, friend and philosopher of the Conference, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, said : “ India wants and is determined to achieve, a status of equality—equality with all the three members of the British Commonwealth—an equality which will give it a Government not merely responsive to, but responsible to the popular voice.”