Which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. During the Second Round Table Conference held in London in 1931, the British Government refused to accept the basic nationalist demand for freedom.
2. India was granted dominion status in 1932.
3. Viceroy Lord Willingdon adopted a policy of reconciliation with Congress.
4. The Civil Disobedience Movement was started with the breaking of salt laws.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (c) 1 and 4 only.
During the Second Round Table Conference held in London in 1931, the British Government refused to accept the basic nationalist demand for freedom: This statement is correct. At the Second Round Table Conference in 1931, the British government did not agree to grant India full independence or accept the demand for complete freedom. Although discussions took place, the British insisted on retaining control, which led to a deadlock in the negotiations.
India was granted dominion status in 1932: This statement is incorrect. India was not granted dominion status in 1932. The concept of dominion status was proposed by the British, but it was not implemented until 1947, when India achieved independence. In 1932, the British government maintained its authority over India.
Viceroy Lord Willingdon adopted a policy of reconciliation with Congress: This statement is incorrect. Lord Willingdon did not adopt a policy of reconciliation; rather, he adopted a repressive approach against the Indian National Congress. He responded to the continued civil disobedience with arrests and restrictions, trying to suppress the nationalist movement.
The Civil Disobedience Movement was started with the breaking of salt laws: This statement is correct. The Civil Disobedience Movement began in 1930 with Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi March to protest against the British monopoly on salt production and sales. By breaking the salt laws, Gandhi symbolized defiance against unjust British policies, marking the beginning of a widespread civil disobedience campaign.
Information Booster:
The Round Table Conferences were organized by the British government to discuss constitutional reforms in India, following the failure of the Simon Commission and growing Indian demands for self-governance.
These conferences were held in London and aimed to negotiate India’s future and its political framework.
First Round Table Conference (November 1930 - January 1931):
Date: Held from 12th November 1930 to 19th January 1931.
Participants: It was attended by representatives of various Indian princely states, minorities, and British officials. However, the Indian National Congress (INC), the main political party advocating for India’s independence, boycotted the conference because many of its leaders were in jail due to the ongoing Civil Disobedience Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Outcome: Little progress was made in the absence of Congress, and the British government realized that meaningful talks could not happen without the participation of the INC.
Second Round Table Conference (September - December 1931):
Date: Held from 7th September 1931 to 1st December 1931.
Participants: This conference was notable because Mahatma Gandhi attended as the sole representative of the Indian National Congress after the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in March 1931, which suspended the Civil Disobedience Movement and released political prisoners.
Key Issues: Discussions focused on the future governance of India, the demands for responsible government, the representation of minorities, and the status of princely states.
Outcome: No agreement was reached between Gandhi and representatives of the Muslim League, princely states, and minority groups like the Dalits, led by B. R. Ambedkar. The British government favored separate electorates for minorities, which Gandhi opposed. The conference ended without any major breakthrough.
Third Round Table Conference (November - December 1932):
Date: Held from 17th November 1932 to 24th December 1932.
Participants: The third conference had limited participation. The Indian National Congress boycotted this conference as well because the Civil Disobedience Movement had resumed and Congress leaders were in prison. Only a few delegates from Indian princely states and other minorities attended.
Outcome: The third conference was largely inconsequential as there was no representation from the INC, and discussions mostly reaffirmed British views. It resulted in the eventual drafting of the Government of India Act 1935, which expanded provincial autonomy but fell short of the demands for full self-governance.
Key Outcomes of the Round Table Conferences:
Government of India Act 1935: The recommendations and discussions during the three conferences culminated in the Government of India Act of 1935. This act introduced provincial autonomy, the establishment of a federal system, and the provision for separate electorates for minorities, which remained a contentious issue.
The conferences deepened the rift between various political factions in India, particularly between the INC and the Muslim League, and other minorities like Dalits.