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Jan. 1. In a press interview, said that by the out-right rejection of "the most reasonable modification" by the National Convention, the fate of the Nehru Report was "sealed".
Jan. Visited Ruttie at the Taj Mahal Hotel "every evening" and talked with her and Dwarkadas both "as in old times". The latter believed that "they were getting reconciled to each other". His visits continued till he left for New Delhi to attend the Indian Legislative Assembly budget session early in Feb.
Jan. 29. In Indian Legislative Assembly, Moulvi Mohammad Yakub moved a motion which proposed that Mohammed Ali Jinnah be appointed on the Select Committee to consider the Indian Law Reports Bill, intended to regulate and improve the Law Reports; motion negative.
Feb. 6. In a telegram to All India Muslim University Secretary of All India Muslim League, said, "Thanks am better. Shall reach Delhi soon. Please call Council meeting end Feb. consult Kitchlew."
Feb. 11. In Indian Legislative Assembly, asked question relating to racial discrimination in Grants of Overseas Allowance to employees of Bombay, Baroda and Central Indian Railways.
Participated in the debate on Trade Disputes Bill moved by Sir Bhupendra Nath Mitra, Member for Industries and Labor, for its reference to Select Committee When there developed a confusion about the principles of the House, said that the Bill itself was showing its principles and termed the confusion as unnecessary. Appointed on Select Committee.
Feb. 12. In Indian Legislative Assembly, voted against motion for amendment in clause 1 of the Hindu law of Inheritance (Amendment) Bill motion negative.
Feb. 13. In Indian Legislative Assembly, voted for the adoption of A. Rangaswami Iyengar's amendment in Standing Order 74, desiring that communications from Indian Legislative Assembly to Governor General should be made formally through Indian Legislative Assembly President after a motion was made and carried in the Assembly. Amendment defeated.
Feb. 15. Participated in the Indian Legislative Assembly debate on Pandit Dwarka Prasad Misra's Resolution criticized the inquiry made by the Committee on Lala Lajpat Rai's death which was accelerated by an injury he received at the hands of police, while leading a boycott procession against the arrival of Simon Commission at Lahore. Asked for a fresh inquiry. Criticized Simon Commission and said it should consult all shades of opinion in the country. Voted for Resolution, which was adopted.
Feb. 18. In Indian Legislative Assembly, voted for resolution to reduce Supplementary Grant of Rs.5, 89,000 by Rs.2, 00,000 to defray charges motion negative.
Feb. 20. Death of Ruttie. Received a phone call at Western Court, and after putting down the receiver calmly told Dewan Chaman Lal, who was with him at the time, that he was leaving for Bombay the same night, saying "Ruttie is serious ill. I must leave to-night." After a pause, said "Do you know who that was? It was my father-in-law. This is the first time we have spoken to each other since my marriage.'
Feb. 21. Received a telegram from Viceroy, condoling the death of Ruttie.
Feb. 22. Reached Bombay in time for Ruttie's funeral was met by Col. and Mrs. Sokhey and Kanji Dwarkadas at the station. Was tense but silent for a long time; "then, as Ruttie's body was being lowered into the grave", he, "as the nearest relative, was the first to throw the earth on the grave and he broke down suddenly and sobbed and wept like a child for minutes together". Said Kanji Dwarkadas; "Her death left Mohammed Ali Jinnah completely lonely."
Feb. 23. Met Kanji Dwarkadas in the evening, "screamed his heart out", speaking to him for over two hours, and Dwarkadas "listening to him patiently and sympathetically". Remarked Dwarkadas, "Never have I found a man so sad and so bitter.... Something I saw had snapped in him. The death of his wife is not just a sad event, nor just something to be grieved over, but he took it, this act of God, as a failure and a personal defeat in his life."
March 1. Held extended discussions with Maulana Mohammed Ali, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Shafi, Ansari and their supporters in an attempt to evolve a consensus on Muslim demands and an acceptable formula in response to the Nehru report.
March 4. Gaya Prasad Singh asked question in II, A, whether Government was aware of the following remarks in Coatman's book (India in 1927-28)."With the exception of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, no Muslim politician of any standing denounced the Simon Commission.". Singh mentioned other Muslim including Maulana Mohammed Ali who denounced Simon Commission On that Mohammed Ali jinnah asked: "Do Government propose to take steps to prevent misleading statements from being incorporated in a book of this character?"
March 5. At a meeting at the All India Muslim League office at New Delhi, Mohammed Ali Jinnah opposed the All-Parties Muslim Conference proposals, but was prevailed upon by Ali Brothers and others to agree that till such time as the All India Muslim League's alternate proposals were not confirmed by other Muslim parties, they would not be considered as the decision or the "demand" of Muslim India
Participated in general discussion on General Budget, asked Mian Mohammad Shah Nawaz whether Sandhurst Committee's Report was a public document, which question Shah Nawaz refused to reply.
March 11. Asked in Indian Legislative Assembly, "May I ask the Honorable Member whether, in view of the strong opposition all over India to the proposal that the members of the Indian Civil Service should be made eligible for Chief Justiceships, the GOI are prepared to reconsider the position and send their revised representation to the Secretary of State?" J. Crerar, Government Member replied that Government "see no ground to modify their attitude in the matter".
Participated in discussion on the list of Demands under General Budget.
On Motilal Nehru's question regarding Dominion Status for India, said: "Our demand is dominion responsible Government with such safeguards as may be agreed upon between the various communities".
March 12. In a letter, Assistant Secretaries of All India Muslim League, Delhi, informed him that on the insistence of Kitchlew he was sending him the draft statement for his signature for the purpose of press release. Said that Shah Zubair and others of his party intended to hold next Council meeting at Patna.
In Indian Legislative Assembly, commenting on the Nehru Report, said, "Nehru Report ... is nothing more than Hindu counterproposals to the Muslim proposals which were made in 1927". On Motilal Nehru's objection to his remarks, replied that "Report is my honorable friend's pet child but.... I want him to realize ... that it is not acceptable to Muslim ". He was opposed by Malaviya but supported by Muslim members on the issue.
Accused Government of using delaying tactics on the Dominion Status question.
March. 14. Had an hour long interview with Viceroy, in which he suggested that there were only "two ways in which real equality of status could be given to the Indian Committee.": (i) by turning the Simon Commission into a mixed Commission and (ii) by establishing a twin Indian Commission with parallel authority". Pleaded very earnestly for the withdrawal of the existing scheme by Government and the substitution of another.
In Indian Legislative Assembly, discussing the Army grant in the Budget said that the basic issue for his concern was Indianization of Army and not Sandhurst Committee recommendations.
March 15. Continued participation in discussion, in Indian Legislative Assembly on the list of demands under General Budget. Asked Col. J. D. Crawford about training of Indian officers in Army. Participated in discussion and voting on items of Budget including, separate Legislative Council for Northwest Frontier Province.
March 28. Formulated his "Fourteen Points" in the light of the consensus arrived at during his discussions with various Muslim leaders including Mian Mohammad Shafi; circulated "Fourteen Points" among All India Muslim League leaders.
Presided over All India Muslim League Council meeting to discuss the question of bringing about unity in All India Muslim League ranks. Appealed to members to arrive at a united decision for the safeguarding of the interests and rights of the community. After some deliberations, meeting postponed to the following day.
Held discussions with the representative of Shafi Group.
March 29. Presided over the adjoumed meeting of All India Muslim League Council. Informed it that a ten-member delegation of Shafi Group had arrived to have discussion with the Council. His suggestion to invite them to attend the meeting was accepted; it was adjoumed to afternoon.
March 30. Speaking at the All India Muslim League Council meeting at which his Resolution incorporating Muslim demands on the constitutional proposals ("Fourteen Points") was to be introduced, appealed "to every one to leave aside personal quarrels, and leave aside your differences". Said that before drafting the Resolution, he had consulted various groups and schools of thought and had placed before them "a draft, which would command the support of a large body of people".
March 31. Subject Committee met under his presidentship.
Issued a long statement explaining the background to the 30-31 adjourned session. Said it was totally false that Muslim League had passed any Resolution to ratify the Nehru Report.
April 1. Council met under his presidentship but no business was transacted as he upheld the objection that the meeting was invalid.
April 2. Tufail Ahmad (Aligarh) sent him a pamphlet on the Hindu -Muslim problem, in which he had proposed a solution to the problem on the basis of linguistic and cultural division of India.
May. Attended dinner at Viceregal Lodge, Simla.
May 15. Held a long personal talk with Viceroy, and briefed him on the idea of a Round Table Conference before the latter left for England on leave to work for India at home.
May 24. In a statement to the Representative, API supported Viceroy's decision to extend the tenure of the Assembly.
June 2. Received a letter from Viceroy about his (Viceroy's) "idea of the suggested announcement" about the Round Table Conference (?)
June 19. Wrote to Ramsay Mac Donald, Prime Minister, about the necessity of reiterating the pledge of Dominion Status, and of convening a Round Table Conference of Indian leaders to decide the political future of India.
July 3-5. Prime Minister circulated Mohammed Ali Jinnah's letter to Dawson, Set on and Hirtzel on the basis of which it was suggested that the Prime Minister should be "advised to have a reply sent merely acknowledging and promising the serious consideration asked by J".
July 8. Private Secretary to Prime Minister, in a letter to him, conveyed the thanks of Prime Minister for his private letter and said, "the questions, which you discussed in it, are naturally receiving the utmost consideration of the Secretary of State for India and of himself ".
July 15. Appeared as defense council for Mian Alimuddin before Justice Broadway and Johnston at Lahore HE; cited examples to prove that the convicted had not murdered Rajpal, who wrote a scurrilous booklet against the Holy Prophet.
Aug. 5. Wrote to Muslim Congress Chagla: "I fear that the Hindu -Muslim question, as it is generally called, is not likely to be settled unless we all who are working for the freedom of India come to recognize it as a national problem and not a communal dispute. Unless the majority community and the leaders grasp that elementary principle and deal with it in that spins, it will not be possible to get the minority community into line with any national program.
Aug. 11. Along with Ali Brothers, met Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi inBombay, to resolve Hindu -Muslim differences over the Nehru Report the meeting was arranged by Mrs. Naidu.
Aug. 14. In a private letter, Ramsay Mac Donald, while acknowledging his letter of 19 June, informed him that "it still remains the intention of the Government —that we want India to enjoy Dominion Status", that the Simon Commission's report was never intended to be anything more than mere advice to the Government an that it would be considered in the light of all the facts.
Aug. 30. Left Ahmedabad for Bombay.
Sept. 4. On Gaya Prasad Singh's question in Indian Legislative Assembly, regarding the Report of Sub-Committee of Indian Sandhurst Committee presided over by Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Government Members, said that Mohammed Ali Jinnah had maintained the Secrecy of the Report.
Sept. 7. Thanked Ramsay Mac Donald for his letter of 14 Aug for agreeing with Mohammed Ali Jinnah's point of view that the British Commonwealth did not comprise only European races but covered other HMO's Dominions as well. Assured him that if he (Prime Minister) could only persuade the Parliament/Parliamentary to make an announcement, India would cooperate with him.
Sept. 9. Participated in Indian Legislative Assembly debate on Sir George Schuster's motion to refer Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill to Select Committee voted against motion, which was negative.
Appointed on Select Committee to consider Law Member Sir Brojendra Mitter's Indian Contract (Amendment) Bill.
Sept. 10. Participated in Indian Legislative Assembly debate on Brojendra Mitter's Transfer of Property (Amendment) Bill; defended and sided with Muslim members: voted for adoption of Bill without the amendment desired by Hindu members under Motilal Nehru's leadership.
Sept. 11. Participated in discussion on Hindu Child Marriage Bill moved by Rai Sahib Barbilas Sarda. Asserted that Muslim law also prohibited child marriages.
Spoke on clauses 27 and 28 (2) of the Transfer of Property (Amendment) Bill.
Sept. 12. Participated in Indian Legislative Assembly debate in opposition to Sir James Crerar's (Home Member's) Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill. Defining law, said, "Law is common sense: it is not the common sense of one individual."
Sept. 14. In Indian Legislative Assembly, spoke against Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill.
Participated in discussion on Motilal Nehru's Adjournment motion for Action and Policy of Government regarding Accused under Trial in Lahore Conspiracy case voted for motion, which was adopted.
Sept. 16. Continued participation in Indian Legislative Assembly debate on Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill.
Sept. 18. Abstained from signing the Sarda Bill as it was inferred that its passage might subsequently provide an opening for interfering with Muslim laws.
In Indian Legislative Assembly, voted against amendment in clause 3 of Hindu Child Marriage Bill motion negative.
Oct. 29. Allowed publication of his suggestions to Viceroy before his (Viceroy's) departure for Great Britain, which he had also sent to the British Prime Minister, Ramsay Mac Donald, in connection with the declaration of Dominion Status for India to be announced by His Majesty's Government.
Oct. 31. Viceroy announced that a Round Table Conference of lndian leaders and British statement would be held to decide the future constitution of India. Declared Dominion Status as "the natural issue" of future Indian political development.
Mohammed Ali Jinnah assured support to the Round Table Conference idea, in a statement jointly issued by him, Sarojini Naidu, Bhulabhai Desai, Homi P. Mody, Chagla and the Dwarkadas brothers.
Nov. 17. Discussed with Viceroy at Bombay the projected London Conference and emphasized the need for a truce which, he said, would depend on (i) the composition of the Conference. (ii) date; and (iii) a declaration of a General amnesty. "We had all been at War—now we are going to have a peace conference and hope to make a settlement. It must therefore be a truce", he told Viceroy Also disclosed that he was in direct and indirect communication with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi On all three points, he was very anxious that he, Sapru, Motilal, and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi should have a frank talk with Viceroy as early as possible.
Nov. 30. Arrived at Ahmedabad. Along with Vithalbhai Patel, President, Indian Legislative Assembly, and Vallabhbhai Patel, had a long talk with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram, on Viceroy's announcement on the holding of an Round Table Conference; "the greatest common measure of agreement to be discussed" was decided upon and it was agreed that leaders should meet Viceroy on 23 Dec. Left for Bombay after the meeting.
Dec. 3. In a letter to Sapru, informed that he had a long talk with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi at Ahmedabad in the presence of Vithalbhai Patel and his brother, Vallabhbhai; that after several hours' discussion it was decided to arrange a meeting between Viceroy, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, Sapru, V.J. Patel and himself on 23 Dec. and that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi would obtain Motilal's assent and Mohammed Ali Jinnah Sapru's for the meeting, and that a draft letter was prepared which would be sent to Viceroy by Patel, requesting Viceroy to invite them to the proposed meeting. Requested Sapru to give his assent and also to see that "Pandit Motilal does not refuse to fall in with this course"
Dec. 14. In a letter to Sapru, said that the settlement of the Hindu -Muslim problem was a "national problem" without which there was no hope "for any real advance on the part of India towards Dominion Status". Also: "It seems that before Pandit Motilal Nehru received any communication from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as arranged V.J. Patel had already fixed up an interview with HE on the 23 Dec. I think it is just as well and on further consideration Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi thinks that at present at any rate, there is no need for us to see the Viceroy and I am inclined to agree with him "
Wrote to (i) Lord Irwin on Viceroy's meeting with Indian National Congress leaders and to (ii) Patel about the proposed meeting with Viceroy.
In a letter to Vithalbhai Patel, said, "I think it is just as well that Motilal is going to see HC on the 23rd of Dec. by himself. There are many reasons why I say so, although the other course would perhaps have been far more advantageous and more effective. However, let us wait and see."
Dec. 16. In a telegram to Griffin, Viceroy's House informed him about Viceroy's agreeing to see the Indian National Congress leaders on 23 Dec.
Dec. 20. Sent telegram to Viceroy.
Dec. 22. Arrived at Delhi.
Dec. 23. Met Viceroy along with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, Sapru and Vithalbhai Patel to prevent a conflict between the Government and the Indian National Congress as the latter deadline for the CDO approached, but Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi rejected Viceroy's offer of Dominion Status and a Conference in London to evolve a constitutional formula to meet Indian aspirations. In a surprise move, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi demanded the immediate acceptance by Viceroy of two preconditions: (i) a declaration that the only purpose of the Round Table Conference would be to work out the details of a Dominion Status constitution; and (ii) that "the establishment of the Dominion Status would be an immediate result of the Conference." Since the two intermediaries (Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Sapru) had not been taken into confidence by the Indian National Congress leaders before the meeting, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's surprise demand put them off completely. Viceroy said he had no authority to accede to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's preconditions, and hence the meeting came to naught.
Issued a joint statement with Sapru on the failure of Viceroy's Conference with Congress leaders at Delhi, in which they held Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi responsible for the failure of the talks. It said that they would demand Dominion Status at the Round Table Conference Along with Sapru left Delhi.
Dec. 27. Sir George Cunningham, Private Secretary to Viceroy, New Delhi, sent him a copy of the minutes of the leaders' meeting with Viceroy on 23 Dec. for his comments/ suggestions.