Quaid e Azam Muhamed Ali Jinnah
Quaid e Azam Muhamed Ali Jinnah
Quaid e Azam Muhamed Ali Jinnah
Akali Dal 2
Independents 3
Cabinet Mission Plan 1946
• All of the British Government's attempts to
establish peace between the Congress and
the Muslim League had failed.
• To end this, the British government sent a
special mission of cabinet ministers to India.
Cabinet Mission Plan 1946
• The Cabinet Mission to India was consisted of the Secretary of
state Pethick Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and the President of
the Board of Trade and A.V.
• Purpose: to seek agreement between political forces on
constitutional issues.
• The British Indian Provinces and the territories should be divided
into three groups.
• the first group should contain Punjab, North-West Frontier
Province, Sind and Baluchistan.
• The second group should contain Bengal and Assam.
• The third group should contain the rest of the Provinces. UP, CP,
Mudras Bombay, Orissa, Behar,
Cabinet Mission Plan 1946
• These first two groups should contain the Muslim majority
areas and the third group the Hindu areas.
• A Constituent Assembly should be elected to frame a
constitution for the Indian Union. The three groups of
Provinces should also possess their separate constitution.
• A Province should have the right to leave the Union in future if
it so liked after elections under its new constitutions.
• There should be an Interim National Government with leaders
of the Indian parties to take charge of the administration.
• Cabinet mission could not bridge the gap and no agreement on
the fundamental issues.
• The Cabinet Mission thus upheld the unity of India
and rejected the idea of independent Pakistan. These
provisions however provided much autonomy to the
Muslim Majority Provinces, to run their own affairs.
It was thus a compromise formula between Indian
unity and the interests of Muslim majority areas.
• The Muslim League while accepting the plan
reasserted its goal of sovereign Pakistan and urged
on the Viceroy to proceed with the plan of an Interim
Government.
Congress Stance on Cabinet Mission Plan
• The Congress President felt delighted that the Cabinet
Mission rejected the partition proposal.
• But the Congress as a whole was unhappy on the formation
of a Weak Central Government. Moreover the right of the
province to leave the union in future was considered a
dangerous proposal.
• Congress believe, Grouping alone could guarantee Jinnah an
effective say in center.
• Bengal and Punjab have large share of center’s spoils.
• they wanted British to quit India, transferring powers
quickly and leaving a strong system.
• Jinnah strategy required a leisurely time table. he needs a
long and slow game to secure the substance of his demands.
• The Viceroy refused to do so in the absence of Congress
participation in the Interim Government and he insisted
on the formation of the Interim Government with the
representation of both the Congress and the League.
• The Muslim League then withdrew its acceptance of the
Cabinet Mission Plan. Jinnah felt alarmed. As a desperate
means of protest he appealed the Muslims throughout
India to observe 16th August 1946 as the “Direct Action
Day”. The call of Jinnah opened path for violent
communal disturbances which influenced the political
history of India in surprising manner.
1946 Interim Government of India
• On September 2, 1946 interim government of India
was established and it had the task of assisting the
transition of British rule to Indian people.
• It remained in place till the independence of both
nations.
• The Viceroy Executive Council served as the executive
branch of interim government.
• The newly elected Constituent Assembly of India, had
the task of assisting the transition of India and
Pakistan from British rule to independence.
1946 Interim Government of India
• Congress: accepted the constitution-making
part of the plan.
• Nehru replaced Mulana Abu-ul- kalam Azad as
congress president,
• He changed his mind and considered congress
free to alter the plan as it thought best.
• Muslim league resigned from their seats in
interim government.
END OF GAME MOUNTBATTEN AND PARTITION