As already noted, G.D. Birla had an important hand in arranging the `Poona Pact', played a prominent role on the Harijan front, and actively helped in terminating civil disobedience (as Nehru said) and in guiding the Congress along the constitutional path. More tasks lay ahead. The new constitution that would be imposed by the British raj had to be worked, ministerial offices under the constitution had to be assumed, and the role of "partners in this repression and in the exploitation of our people" (to borrow Nehru's phrase) had to be played by the Congress in the coming days.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee's Report, which formed the basis of the Government of India Act of 1935, appeared towards the end of 1934. Birla realized that all appeals to the Government to have talks with Gandhi -- appeals for a `personal touch' -- before the framing of the constitution, were fruitless. Now he started emphasizing the value of personal contact after the constitution bill was passed. He stressed that personal contact would be necessary for creating the proper atmosphere in which the constitution to be imposed by the raj could be worked.
Early in 1935, helped by Anderson, Birla saw the Viceroy, Commerce Member Joseph Bhore and Home Member Henry Craik. He also arranged interviews between Craik and Patel.
Birla said to the Viceroy:
"There must be a proper understanding between the ruler and the ruled so that leaders like Gandhiji and his lieutenants may begin to teach people to treat the Government as their own institution."
Birla told Joseph Bhore that "If there was sincerity and goodwill, Mr Gandhi may find a formula to work the constitution".(125) While, as usual, his appeal that the raj should establish "personal contact" with Gandhi ran as a refrain throughout the interview with Craik, Birla told the "man who broke heads of thousands and issued ordinance[s]" that Gandhi endorsed Birla's view "that the proposed scheme could be worked successfully and to the advantage of India, if there was sympathy and good-will from both the sides". He stated to the Home Member:
"There is already a section growing up gradually which believes that even the best should not be achieved by constitutional means.... Gandhiji is fighting against this mentality.... It is essential that some settlement should be made in Gandhiji's lifetime which may bring the Government and the people closer to each other. This would be the beginning of the new kind of education which would teach people to believe that the Government is their own institution, which should be mended and not ended."
Birla warned that, otherwise, "A revolution of the bloody type may become an inevitable factor. And this would be the greatest calamity not only to India but also to England. Tories may say this would be India's funeral. I say it would be of both."(126)
Birla was right. As the interests of the Birlas and those of imperial Britain were tied together, the ruin of one would spell the ruin of the other.
Meeting Craik in Birla's house, Patel assured him that "So long as both the sides recognized sincerity and honesty of purpose, there was no reasons [sic] to fear racial bitterness". Gandhi was pleased with Patel's interview with the Home Member and wrote to Patel: "It was good that you met. Keep up correspondence now." Gandhi himself toyed with the idea of writing to Craik and informed Birla that if he wrote, he would send the letter to Birla and that, if Birla approved of it, he was to send it to Craik.(127)
In June 1935 Viceroy Willingdon informed Secretary of State Lord Zetland that he had "every reason to think that when the Bill is through even Congress will work it, and work it properly".(128)
Though Gandhi was still denied a `personal touch', a thaw had set in. Birla now undertook a visit to London to disabuse the minds of the British rulers of all misgivings about the Congress leaders, generate trust and help destiny to bind imperial Britain and colonial India still closer. Birla said: "I had in my enterprise the blessings of Bapu and also of the Governor of Bengal, both of whom gave me letters of introduction to important persons."
Towards the end of February 1935 Gandhi's secretary Mahadev Desai informed Birla that, before he left for England, he "should concentrate on giving finishing touches to the task you have undertaken and have brought to the persent stage of fruition." Then, on 7 March, Gandhi advised Birla that "now that you have laboured so hard on this task, you should give finishing touches to it during your sojourn in England".(129)
Before he set sail in the summer of 1935, Birla went to the Bengal Governor "to seek his advice and guidance". He told him that the Congress could throw an open challenge to socialism and fight the firebrands, if the raj strengthened the hands of the Right wing. Anderson assured him that Anderson too was "in a way fighting India's battle for freedom".(130)
In London, as Birla wrote, "Determined to pull every possible string on Gandhiji's behalf, I sought out everyone who might be of assistance ...." He had interviews with Findlater Stewart, Butler (another Under-Secretary of State), Zetland, Lothian, Ramsay MacDonald, Halifax, Hoare, Linlithgow, Attlee, Churchill, Prime Minister Baldwin, various other politicians, economists, businessmen and other prominent men. During his talks he expatiated on the efficacy of `personal touch', that is, personal contact with Gandhi. He told them that the constitution that the British government was imposing could be worked, but what was needed was the `personal touch'. He warned Findlater Stewart that the "defeat of Gandhism will create forces of Communism". At one of the interviews Stewart assured him: "We do not like Mr Gandhi to be on the other side of the fence."(131)
In a letter of 29 June, Birla communicated to Gandhi the gist of his talks with the British politicians. In his talks he emphasized that, though "the Bill is the most reactionary piece of legislation", it was necessary to create the right spirit, "a different psychology about the reforms so that it may be worked and the intention of the friends here may be fulfilled and the present strife ended once and for all". He complained that they were "killing a man [Gandhi] who is your friend in the world" and wanted them to "establish personal contact" with Gandhi "and come to an agreement about the working of the reforms". He informed Gandhi that he had told them that "Mutual trust and friendship should be the basis. The constitution should be worked with a view to leading India towards progress and Dominion Status. Great Britain to help." Before he concluded his letter to Gandhi he assumed that "I am representing you correctly and faithfully".(132)
Gandhi assured Birla that he was representing him quite faithfully and encouraged him to "go ahead with your endeavour..."
Gandhi's secretary, Mahadev Desai, warmly congratulated Birla on his exploits in London: "you may be sure that we greedily devour your letters. There is no doubt that you are making the best out of your visit, and I should be content even with what you have so far achieved."(133)
Birla was keeping Gandhi fully posted with records of his interviews in London. He was also keeping Anderson informed of his talks. In his letters of 5 and 12 July Birla wrote to Anderson that he had told Zetland and Sir Austen Chamberlain that though "Lord Halifax put 60,000 men in jail and you have interned 2,500 men without trial...there is no bitterness".
Birla told Halifax that Patel was "very capable, very sound and shrewd". Asked by Halifax if Nehru was "not too much on the left wing", Birla said: "I do not think so, although he talks a lot..."(134)
Birla assured Linlithgow that "the Congress and Government are on common ground" on the issue of fighting terrorism, though their methods might differ". Churchill said to him: "You have got the things [the Government of India Act of 1935] now and you make it [a] success and if you do it I will support that you should get much more."(135)
Birla made a summary of what he had been saying to British politicians and sent a copy to Halifax. It stated :
"The Irwin-Gandhi Pact was a great step towards binding India and Great Britain together .... It struck at the roots of the method of securing political advance by means of disorder, and substituted the method of mutual discussion and confidence [emphasis in the original]... The Government is helping the Socialists indirectly by ignoring the right wing. If the new Constitution is to work successfully to the advantage of both countries, it is imperative that something be done immediately to change the existing atmosphere.... A new spirit must be created; the spirit that dominated the Irwin-Gandhi Pact must be restored [emphasis in the original].... Sensible men and women realize their need of British help; they want British friendship."(136)
To sum up :
First, before the Government of India Act of 1935 was enacted in August of that year as well as after, Birla on behalf of Gandhi and the other Congress leaders repeatedly gave the raj the assurance that it would be worked by the Congress. Gandhi approved of the commitment Birla made to the raj.
Second, on behalf of Gandhi and the other Congress leaders, Birla assured the raj that they would abandon the path of mass action "once and for all" and take to the road indicated by the raj -- the peaceful, constitutional road to self-government and expect to be guided there by British imperialism.
Third, Birla held that an understanding between the raj and Gandhi and the other Congress leaders was necessary so that the latter could teach people that "the Government is their own institution, which should be mended and not ended". Such understanding would also create the proper atmosphere in which the constitution could be worked. In the absence of such an understanding a violent revolution might spell "the funeral" of both Tory Britain and the Birlas' India.
Fourth, Birla, who held that imperial Britain and colonial India were bound together by destiny, urged that the raj and the right wing of the Congress should combine to crush the left wing.