Lord Irwin
Topic: The National Movement: Gandhian Era · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 3 "Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement"
Meaning
Lord Irwin was Viceroy of India from 1926 to 1931. In his time came the Simon Commission, which had no Indian member, and his own vague offer of dominion status in October 1929. Gandhi sent him eleven demands in 1930. Irwin and his officials did not take the salt protest seriously at first. They called the Dandi March "a drama". Later, the size of the movement forced Irwin to talk directly with Gandhi.
Example
Irwin signed the Gandhi–Irwin Pact on 5 March 1931 in Delhi. Under it:
- Civil Disobedience was called off;
- political prisoners were freed;
- people on the coast could make salt.
Gandhi agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference. The pact did not promise independence.
Don't confuse with
- Lord Willingdon: Irwin's successor (1931–36). He chose harsh repression instead of talks.
Related concepts
- Eleven demands of Gandhi 1930
- Salt monopoly
- Salt satyagraha
- Sabarmati Ashram
- Civil disobedience movement
- Vedaranyam salt march
- Dharasana satyagraha 1930
- Sarojini Naidu
- Abdul Ghaffar Khan
- Khudai Khidmatgar