Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of ‘Harijans’ in his political and social programme?

(a) The Poona Pact
(b) The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact)
(c) Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement
(d) Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935

The correct answer is (a) The Poona Pact.

Explanation

Background: In 1932, the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald announced the Communal Award, which granted separate electorates to the “Depressed Classes” (Dalits), effectively treating them as a separate political entity from Hindus. Mahatma Gandhi viewed this as a dangerous move that would permanently divide Hindu society.
The Turning Point: To protest this, Gandhi went on a “fast unto death” in Yerwada Jail. This led to intense negotiations between Dalit leaders (led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar) and upper-caste Hindu leaders. The result was the Poona Pact of September 1932. Under this pact, the demand for separate electorates was dropped in favor of increased reserved seats for the Depressed Classes within the general electorate.
Post-Pact Shift: Following the Poona Pact, Gandhi felt a deep moral obligation to work for the social and economic upliftment of the depressed classes. He decided to retire from active politics for a while to focus entirely on this cause.
- He coined the term “Harijan” (Children of God) to refer to the untouchables.
- In September 1932, he founded the All India Anti-Untouchability League (later renamed the Harijan Sevak Sangh) to work for the eradication of untouchability and the welfare of Dalits.
- In 1933, he started a weekly journal called Harijan.
- He embarked on a nationwide Harijan Tour (1933-1934) to campaign against untouchability and raise funds for the cause.

Therefore, it was subsequent to the Poona Pact that the upliftment of Harijans became the central plank of his social programme.

Learn More

Communal Award (1932): A proposal by the British government to create separate electorates for various communities, including Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Anglo-Indians, and Europeans, and significantly, for the “Depressed Classes” (Dalits).
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Role: While Gandhi focused on the moral and social eradication of untouchability within Hinduism, Dr. Ambedkar emphasized political rights, legal safeguards, and education as the means for Dalit liberation. The Poona Pact was a compromise between these two differing approaches.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931): Also known as the Delhi Pact, this was a political agreement signed before the Second Round Table Conference. It led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement and the release of political prisoners but was unrelated to the specific Harijan campaign start.