The question asks about the key signatories of the Poona Pact, a significant agreement in Indian history signed in 1932. Understanding the context of this pact is crucial to identifying the correct individuals involved.

Understanding the Poona Pact 1932

The Poona Pact was an agreement reached in 1932. It was a pivotal moment concerning the representation of the Depressed Classes (later known as Scheduled Castes) in British India's legislative bodies. The pact was a direct result of the Communal Award announced by the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald in August 1932.

Context of the Poona Pact

• The Communal Award proposed separate electorates for various groups, including Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Europeans, Anglo-Indians, and the Depressed Classes.
• Separate electorates meant that only members of a specific community could vote for candidates from that community in reserved constituencies.
• Mahatma Gandhi strongly opposed the idea of separate electorates for the Depressed Classes, believing it would politically separate them from the rest of the Hindu community and hinder the movement for social unity.
• In protest against the Communal Award's provision for Depressed Classes, Mahatma Gandhi began a fast unto death on September 20, 1932, while imprisoned in Yerawada Jail, Poona (now Pune).
• This fast created immense pressure on political leaders to find a solution that would satisfy both Gandhi and the leaders representing the Depressed Classes.

Signatories of the Poona Pact

In response to Gandhi's fast, negotiations were held between leaders of the Hindu community and the leaders representing the Depressed Classes. The main representative for the Depressed Classes in these negotiations was Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

The negotiations resulted in the Poona Pact, which was signed on September 24, 1932. Although Mahatma Gandhi was fasting and did not personally sign the pact document initially, the agreement was reached with his full consent and in response to his fast. The pact was formally signed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on behalf of the Depressed Classes and by Madan Mohan Malaviya on behalf of the other Hindu leaders, with Gandhi's approval.

However, the pact is widely recognized as being between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar because they were the principal figures whose disagreement led to the crisis and whose eventual agreement resolved it.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the provided options:

1. Motilal Nehru: Motilal Nehru was a prominent leader, but he passed away in 1931, before the Poona Pact was signed in 1932. So, he could not have been a signatory.
2. Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a key leader of the Muslim League. The Poona Pact dealt specifically with the representation of the Depressed Classes within the Hindu community, not issues related to Muslim representation, which was a separate matter. Jinnah was not involved in signing the Poona Pact.
3. BR Ambedkar: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the leading voice for the Depressed Classes at the time. He negotiated the Poona Pact with other leaders, including those representing the Hindu community and acting on behalf of Gandhi. He was the main signatory representing the Depressed Classes.
4. Jawahar Lal Nehru: Jawahar Lal Nehru was a major leader in the Indian National Congress but was not a primary signatory or negotiator of the Poona Pact.

Based on the historical facts, the Poona Pact was signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the two main figures whose actions and negotiations led to the agreement.

Revision Table: Key Facts on Poona Pact

Additional Information on Poona Pact and its Significance

The Poona Pact significantly altered the system of representation for the Depressed Classes. While it replaced separate electorates with reserved seats within joint electorates, the number of reserved seats was substantially increased compared to what the Communal Award had initially provided. The provincial legislatures saw reserved seats increased from 71 to 147, and in the central legislature, they were increased to 18% of the total seats.

The pact is a crucial event in the history of caste relations and political representation in India. It reflected the differing approaches of Gandhi and Ambedkar towards achieving political rights and social justice for the Depressed Classes.

While it averted separate electorates, which Gandhi saw as divisive, some critics argue that joint electorates with reserved seats still limited the true political autonomy of the Depressed Classes compared to what separate electorates might have offered. Nevertheless, it was a compromise reached under pressure and remains a landmark agreement.