The MacDonald Award refers to the declaration of communal electorate on 16th, August 1932 by the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald.
It was an expression of British policy of divide and rule. According to this communal Award Muslims, Europeans, Sikhs, Hindus and Harijans were to elect their representatives through separate communal electorates.
The Muslims, Sikhs and Christians were already recognized as minorities. The Award in fact placed the depressed classes among the Hindus in a separate category and entitled them for separate electorate.
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Gandhiji considered it an attack on Indian unity and British attempt to creating division in the Indian society. He went on indefinite fast.
Consequently, leaders of caste groups and depressed classes got together and agreed to the proposal of Gandiji.
This agreement is popularly known as Poona Pact and it was signed in September 1932.
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The Pact abandoned separate electorates for the depressed classes and decided to continue with joint electorates.
The seats reserved for the depressed classes were increased from 71 to 147 in provincial legislatures and 18% of the total in the Central legislature.
The Poona Pact was accepted by the government as an amendment to the Communal Award.
Thus, government’s attempt to separate the people was belied. The Award, intended to break nationalist movement, actually helped it to forge ahead by unity of masses and leaders.