Delve into the Delhi Manifesto of 1929 and its pivotal role in India's constitutional journey, including the meeting with Lord Irwin that escalated tensions leading to future confrontations.

Key Provisions of the Delhi Manifesto (November 2, 1929)

• Conference of Leaders: Prominent national leaders issued the Delhi Manifesto, setting conditions for attending the Round Table Conference.
• Key Conditions:
  • The Round Table Conference should formulate a constitution for dominion status, not determine whether or when it would be granted.
  • Congress should have majority representation at the conference.
  • A general amnesty for political prisoners and a policy of conciliation should be enacted.

Meeting with Lord Irwin and the Path to Confrontation (December 1929)

• Discussion on the Round Table Conference: Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, and other leaders met with Lord Irwin to seek assurance that the conference’s purpose was to draft a constitutional scheme for dominion status.
• Irwin’s Rejection: Lord Irwin rejected the demands of the Delhi Manifesto, confirming that the Round Table Conference was not meant to draft a dominion status constitution. This set the stage for further confrontation.