Bombay Disturbances IX. This Congress deplores the occurrences that took place in Bombay on the 17th November last and after, and assures all parties and communities that it has been and is the desire and determination of the Congress to guard their rights to the fullest extent. This Congress heartily congratulates Shrimant Baba Guruditsingh, the great organiser of Shri Nanak Steamer, who willingly surrendered himself after seven years' fruitless search by the Government as a sacrifice for the nation, and also congratulates the other Sikh leaders who have preferred imprisonment to the restriction of their religious rights and liberty, and congratulates the Sikh community on their non- violent spirit at the time of the Babaji's arrest and on other occasions inspite of great provocation by the police and the military. Change in the Constitution XI. The following changes be introduced in the constitution:— 1. In article 4 instead of " The age 21 " read " The age of 18 ". 2. At the end of article add VII and " Provided that no person shall become a member of the two parallel Congress organisations at one and the same time." 100 3. At the end of clause 3, Article VIII, add " The members of the All-India Congress Committee shall be ex-officio delegates to the Congress, the Provincial Congress Committees deducting the number of elected and the ex-officio members of the All-India Congress Committee in their provinces, if any, from the number of delegates they are entitled to return." 4. In clause 5, Article VII, remove the brackets and after " A single transferable vote " add " or by any other method ". 5. in clause 2 of Article XIX after "Shall be" add " the elected president ". 6. In the same clause, after " Past presidents of the Congress " add " if they sign theCongress creed and are members of anyCongress organisation.". 7. In article XXIII after "The General Secretaries" add "and two treasurers " and in the beginning of the second sentence instead of the word " They " read " General Secretaries ". XII. This Congress re-appoints Pandit Motilal Nehru, Dr. Ansari and Syt. C. General Rajagopalacharyar as general secretaries of the Congress for the year 1922 and as Secretaries Pandit Motilal Nehru and Syt. Rajagopalacharyar are now in jail, appoints Sty. and acting secretaries. Vithalbhai J. Patel and Dr. Rajan respectively to act for them, the former to be the Working Secretary. XIII. This Congress appoints Seth Jamnalal Bajaj and Seth Chotani as treasurers of the Treasurers. Congress, the former to be the Working Treasurer. Resolutions passed at the Representative Conference held in Bombay on the 14th and 15th January 1922 Resolution No. 1.—This conference is strongly of opinion that the policy adopted by Government within the last few weeks of extending and applying the Criminal Law Amendment Act and the Seditious Meetings Act to various parts of the country and of misusing the ordinary law in connection with political offences, leading to wholesale arrests and imprisonments, including those of some of the most respected leaders and citizens, constitutes an unwarranted enproachment upon the elementary rights of citizenship of the freedom of press; and of liberty of speech and association has defeated its own object by alienating popular sympathy, and aggravating the general discontent and ought to be reversed without delay. Resolution No. 2.—This conference is further of opinion that until it is clear beyond any doubt that no other means will secure a redress of the country's grievances and the status of full Responsible Government, the Civil Disobedience contemplated by the Ahmedabad Congress ought not to be resorted to. Resolution No. 3.—In response to the sentiments expressed by His Excellency the Viceroy in his speech at Calcutta on the 21st December 1921, and in order to explore all methods of reaching a harmonious and honourable settlement of the important issues now before the country, namely the Punjab, the Khilafat wrongs, and the demand for Swaraj or full responsible Government on the Dominion' basis, this conference supports the proposal for a Round Table Conference between the Government and popular representatives, and is of opinion that, in order to provide a favourable atmosphere for the dispassionate consideration of the points in controversy, all notifications issued and orders passed by Government under Act XIV of 1908, Part II, and the Seditious Meetings Act, should be withdrawn and all prisoners convicted or under arrest or prosecution under the aforesaid, notifications or order should be released, as 101 also the Fatwa prisoners, and that inasmuch as persons have been convicted for non-violent activities of an innocent character under cover of the ordinary law a committee should be appointed by Government consisting of two persong, one to be nominated by Government and the other by the Committee of Conference appointed by resolution No. 5 with power to them to appoint an umpire to investigate the cases of the persons hereinbefore referred to and that such of them as might be recommended by the said committee or umpire be released and that pending the results of the said conference, all hartals, picketing and civil disobedience should cease. Resolution No. 4.—The Conference is likewise of opinion that, having regard to the critical situation in the country and the desirability of effecting an early settlement, the Round Table Conference should be called as soon as possible and that His Majesty's Government should clothe His Excellency the Viceroy with the authority necessary for the purpose of arriving at a settlement. Resolution No. 5.—Without at present going into the particulars of the demands of the country with reference to the Punjab, Khilafat and Swaraj questions, this Conference hereby appoints a committee of the following persons to carry on all communications with the Government on the other, with a view to arranging the composition, the dates and other details relating to the holding of the said Round Table Conference and for all purposes incidental to the carrying out of these resolutions, including when necessary, the convening of another Representative Conference. The committee to consist of: 1. Sir M. Visvesvaraua, 12. Mr. Joseph Baptista, 2. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, 13. Mr. Raizada Rhagat Ram, 3. Mr. T. V. Seshagiri Iyer, 14. Mr. M. G. Bhurgri, 4. Sir P. C, Ray, 15. Mr. B. Chakarbutti, 5. Mr. M. A. Jinnah, 16. Dr. Gour, 6. Mr. M. R. Jayakar, 17. Mr. Pandit Kunzru, 7. Sir Dinshaw Petit, 18. Mr. K. Natrajan, 8. Sir H. A. Wadia, 19. Mr. Hassam Imam, 9. Mr. C. R. Reddy, 20. Pandit Goraklmath Misra, 10. Mr. S. Satyamurti, 21. Mr. Ambalal ,Sarabhai 11. Professor S. C. Mukerji, with powers to co-opt. The following important resolution was passed at the meeting of the working Committee at Bombay held on 17th January 1922: The Working Committee places on record its thanks to Pandit Malaviyaji and his fellow- conveners for convening the Conference of persons belonging to the various political parties in the country for the purpose of considering the existing tension and having considered the resolutions of the Conference the Committee resolves that the offensive Civil Disobedience contemplated by the Ahmadabad Congress be not started till the 31st day of January 1922 or pending the result of the negotiations undertaken by the Committee of the Malaviya Conference for a Round Table Conference, whichever may bo the first date. The Working Committee considers it necessary, for the purpose of creating an atmosphere favourable for a successful Round Table Conference, that (a) All notifications and notices declaring illegal and prohibiting the formation of 102 volanteer corps, public meetings, picketing and the normal activities of the Congress or the Khilafat Committee be withdrawn and the prisoners under-going prosecution of conviction in respect of such notices be discharged or released as the case may be; (b) All Fatwa prisoners including the Ali Brothers-and their companions be released; (c) All other prisoners already convicted or under trial for non-violent or other innocent activities be dealt with and discharged in the manner appointed therefore in the resolution of the Conference; and (d) That simultaneously with the performance of the foregoing acts by the Government's concerned and in the event of a Round Table Conference, all hartals picketing and civil disobedience should cease. In order to avoid any misunderstanding about the Congress demands the Working Committee desires to draw the attention of the Committee appointed by the Malaviya Conference to the Khilafat, the Punjab and the Swaraj claims as stated publicly from time to time from Congress platforms, and to state that the Congress and the Khilafat representatives will be bound to demand full statement of the three claims. (Copy of Mr. Gandhi's ultimatum to His Excellency the Viceroy) Mr. Gandhi's ultimatum regarding Bardoli Civil Disobedience. Bardoli, 1st February 1922 To His Excellency the Viceroy, Delhi. Sir, Bardoli is a small Tehsil in the Surat District in the Bombay Presidency, having a population about 87,000 all told. On the 29th ultimo it (Bardoli) decided under the presidency of Mr. Vithalbhai J. Patel to embark on Mass Civil Disobedience, having proved its fitness for it in terms of resolution of the All- India Congress Committee which met at Delhi during the first week of November last. But as I am, perhaps, chiefly responsible for Bardoli's decision, I owe it to Your Excellency and the public to explain the situation under which the decision has been taken. It was intended under the resolution of the All-India Congress Committee before referred to make Bardoli the first unit for Mass Civil Disobedience in order to mark the national revolt against the Government's consistently criminal refusal to appreciate India's resolve regarding the Khilafat, the Punjab and Swaraj.