INDEPENDENCE WITH PARTITION Flashcards
A deadline of _______ was fixed by Attlee for transfer of power even if the Indian politicians had not agreed by that time on the constitution.
June 30, 1948.
Nehru and Kripalani on partition?
- On March 10, 1947, Nehru stated that the Cabinet Mission was the best solution if carried out; the only real alternative was the partition of Punjab and Bengal.
- In April 1947, the Congress president, Kripalani, communicated to the viceroy— rather than have a battle, we shall let them have their Pakistan provided you allow Bengal and Punjab to be partitioned in a fair manner.
Main points of Mountbatten Plan?
Mountbatten Plan, June 3, 1947
1. Punjab and Bengal Legislative Assemblies would meet in two groups, Hindus and Muslims, to vote for partition. If a simple majority of either group voted for partition, then these provinces would be partitioned.
2. In case of partition, two dominions and two constituent assemblies would be created.
3. Sindh would take its own decision.
4. Referendums in NWFP and Sylhet district of Bengal would decide the fate of these areas.
5. Since the Congress had conceded a unified India, all their other points would be met, namely,
- independence for princely states ruled out—they would join either India or Pakistan.
- independence for Bengal ruled out.
- accession of Hyderabad to Pakistan ruled out (Mountbatten supported the Congress on this).
- freedom to come on August 15, 1947.
- a boundary commission to be set up if partition was to be effected.
- Mountbatten’s formula was to divide India but retain maximum unity.
What was Plan Balkan?
Between March and May of 1947, Mountbatten decided that the Cabinet Mission Plan had become untenable and formulated an alternative plan. This plan envisaged the transfer of power to separate provinces (or to a confederation, if formed before the transfer), with Punjab and Bengal given the option to vote for partition of their provinces. The various units thus formed along with the princely states (rendered independent by lapse of paramountcy) would have the option of joining India or Pakistan or remaining separate. The plan was quickly abandoned after Nehru reacted violently to it.
What were the problems of withdrawal of British before the said date?
- There were no transitional institutional structures within which partition problems could be tackled.
- Mountbatten had hoped to be the common Governor-General of India and Pakistan, thus providing the necessary link, but Jinnah wanted the position for himself in Pakistan.
- There was a delay in announcing the Boundary Commission Award (under Radcliffe); though the award was ready by August 12, 1947 Mountbatten decided to make it public after August 15 so that the British could escape all responsibility of disturbances.
- _______ presided over the All India State People’s Conference sessions in Udaipur (1945) and Gwalior (April 1947). He declared that the states refusing to join the Constituent Assembly would be treated as hostile.
- In July 1947, ________ took the charge of the new States department. Under him, the incorporation of Indian states took place in two phases with a skilful combination of baits and threats of mass pressure in both.
- Nehru
- Vallabhbhai Patel.
Acceptance of the partition was only a final act of the process of step by step concessions to the League’s championing of a separate Muslim state. How?
- During Cripps Mission (1942), autonomy of Muslim majority provinces was accepted.
- During Gandhi-Jinnah talks (1944), Gandhi accepted the right of self-determination of Muslim-majority provinces.
- After the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) Congress conceded the possibility of Muslim majority provinces setting up a separate constituent assembly. Later, the Congress accepted, without demur, that grouping was compulsory (December 1946).
- Official reference to Pakistan came in March 1947, when CWC resolution stated that Punjab (and by implication Bengal) must be partitioned if the country was divided.
- With the 3rd June Plan, Congress accepted partition.
