In 1945, Labour party came into power in Britain. Noticing the increasing political restlessness in India, the British Prime Minister, Lord Atlee sent a Cabinet Mission to India. This mission had two basic purposes:
The first purpose was to determine the constitutional status of India and the form of the government.
The second purpose was to bridge the gap between the Muslims and the Hindus and try to convince the Muslims to live in the United India. But the General Elections of 19454-46 proved that it was quite impossible. The commission consisted of three Ministers:
- Sir. Stafford Cripps
- Mr. A.V Alexander
- Lord Pethick-Lawrence
Since all the members belonged to British Cabinet, it was called Cabinet Mission.
Talks with Different Political Leaders:
The members of the Cabinet Mission held talks with different political leaders in the Sub-continent. They exchanged their views with Governers and Chief Ministers. They found the views of the Governer Generals too. Both major parties, Muslim League and Congress, had clear the viewpoints. Muslim League declared that the only solution to the issue was the partition of the Sub-continent and creation of Pakistan. On the other hand, Congress, on the basis of the single nation, strongly opposed any type of partition in the South Asia. It neglected the Two Nation Theory and denied the idea of Pakistan harshly.
A condition of tension prevailed in the talks because while sending the mission to India, The British Prime Minister made a statement in the Parliament that no minority would have the right to exercise the veto power and it will not be allowed to close the path of national development. Congress was much pleased with his statement but Quaid-e-Azam criticized it intensely. Quaid-e-Azam responded that Muslim League is striving for the protection of the rights of the Muslims and it want to resolve the constitutional issues on the basis of Two-Nation Theory. During the Dialogues with the mission, Quaid-e-Azam said: ”The Sub-continent neither a country nor it is the homeland of a single nation. The Muslims was a nation with the separate identity that has all the rights to decide the future of its own.”
A condition of tension prevailed in the talks because while sending the mission to India, The British Prime Minister made a statement in the Parliament that no minority would have the right to exercise the veto power and it will not be allowed to close the path of national development. Congress was much pleased with his statement but Quaid-e-Azam criticized it intensely. Quaid-e-Azam responded that Muslim League is striving for the protection of the rights of the Muslims and it want to resolve the constitutional issues on the basis of Two-Nation Theory. During the Dialogues with the mission, Quaid-e-Azam said: ”The Sub-continent neither a country nor it is the homeland of a single nation. The Muslims was a nation with the separate identity that has all the rights to decide the future of its own.”
Proposal of Cabinet Mission:
The members of the Cabinet Mission met the leader of all the political parties to find their point of views but they could not reach any result. On 16ty May 1946 the members of the Cabinet Mission announced a plan of their own. The silent features of the plan were under as:
Sub-continent, A Union:
The Sub-continent should be a union consisting of any provinces and several states. A federation should be formed. The Union should deal with the subjects of defense, foreign affairs, and communications. The Union should have the powers to raise the finances required for the above subjects. All subjects other than the union subjects shall be the rest with the provinces.
Formation of Provincials Groups:
The Provinces of India were to forms three groups:
Groups A: Hindus majority provinces of Madras, Bombay(Mumbai), U.P, C.P, Bihar, and Orissa.
Groups B: Muslim majority provinces like Punjab, North West Frontier Province (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Balochistan, and Sindh.
Group C: Bengal and Assam.
It should be a Union of new nature forming Central organization, provincials, Organization and Groups Organization. The power of Union and provinces were explained in the proposal of the Cabinet Mission but so far as the distribution of powers between the provincials and groups organization was concerned, it was said that these will be decided by the Provincials and Groups Organization themselves. The provinces and states will be given seats in the Central Legislature as well as in the Cabinet on the basis of their population. Keeping in view of a proportion of the population, each province will be given representation.
Sub-continent, A Union:
The Sub-continent should be a union consisting of any provinces and several states. A federation should be formed. The Union should deal with the subjects of defense, foreign affairs, and communications. The Union should have the powers to raise the finances required for the above subjects. All subjects other than the union subjects shall be the rest with the provinces.
Formation of Provincials Groups:
The Provinces of India were to forms three groups:
Groups A: Hindus majority provinces of Madras, Bombay(Mumbai), U.P, C.P, Bihar, and Orissa.
Groups B: Muslim majority provinces like Punjab, North West Frontier Province (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Balochistan, and Sindh.
Group C: Bengal and Assam.
It should be a Union of new nature forming Central organization, provincials, Organization and Groups Organization. The power of Union and provinces were explained in the proposal of the Cabinet Mission but so far as the distribution of powers between the provincials and groups organization was concerned, it was said that these will be decided by the Provincials and Groups Organization themselves. The provinces and states will be given seats in the Central Legislature as well as in the Cabinet on the basis of their population. Keeping in view of a proportion of the population, each province will be given representation.
Election of the Central Legislature:
The members of the Provincial assemblies will elect the Central Legislature. The Central Legislature will frame the constitution for the whole of the country. After the Central Cabinet framed, all the three provincial groups will prepare their own constitutions.
Separation from Union:
If one or two provinces from the three groups of provinces decide to separate from the Union, they could do so but after ten years. This point granted the right to the Muslims majority areas of Group B and Group C to make Pakistan after ten years. Thus, the process of the partition will complete automatically.
Separation from Union:
If one or two provinces from the three groups of provinces decide to separate from the Union, they could do so but after ten years. This point granted the right to the Muslims majority areas of Group B and Group C to make Pakistan after ten years. Thus, the process of the partition will complete automatically.
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