During the second half of 1932, while Gandhiji was in jail and was thinking of shifting to constructive work, Ramsay Macdonald’s Communal Award with its creation of separate electorates for untouchables, helped to focus his attention primarily on “Harijan” welfare. Gandhiji began a fast unto death on the separate electorate issue on September 20, 1932 and was able to secure an agreement between the caste Hindus and untouchables’ leaders through the Poona Pact signed on September 24, 1932. The pact retained the Hindu joint electorate with reserved seats for untouchables, who were given greater representation than awarded by Macdonald.

The word Harijan which means hari ka jan , the man of god was given by Gandhi in 1933 to dalit and all other depressed classes .After Poona pact, Gandhi decided for an Untouchable prevention movement.Harijan uplift now became Gandhiji’s principal concern. He started an All-India Anti-Untouchahility League or Harijan Sevak Sangh in September 1932 for improving the lot of the untouchables and for providing medical education and technical facilities to the Harijans. He was always against untouchability ,in 1933 he started a movement against it. He was in fasting in july and August against untouchability  and from 7th November 1933 he started traveling all over the india from Wardha Ashram to fight against untouchability and for a social demand of socioeconomic and political support to dalits by fellow indians and government. His movement was known as ”Harijan Yatra”. which was a long Journey which took 9 months. Gandhi faced a lot of trouble in the form of reactionary and orthodox forces, which lobbied with Government against the The Temple Entry Bill . the The Temple Entry Bill was not passed in parliament in 1934 because of these opposing forces.

Impact of the Campaign:

1.It carried message of Nationalism to Harijans and hence increased their participation in national movement.

2.Practicing any type of untouchability stopped constitutionally after Independence.