COUNTDOWN TO
PARTION
SHAFIQ QURBAN
Introduction
Congress and Muslim League was Critical of the
Government of India Act 1935
BothParties Decided to participate in Election during First
Week of 1937
Electoral Programme was similar and expected that both
parties would be to cooperate in the Provinces as they were
already in the Central Assembly
Congress appeared as Outright Party in Five out of Eleven
Provinces and won majority in Other Two Provinces
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Congress formed Ministries in Bombay, Madras, Central Province, United
Province, Bihar, Orissa and North West Frontier Province
In Bengal and Punjab Congress Formed Coalition Government with Independent
Muslim Leader
Muslim League captured Substantial Seats in Hindu Majority Provinces
Muslim League expected to be asked to form Coalition Ministries with Congress
Jinnah had made it clear that cooperation with congress is Desirable
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Interesting Muslim League Candidates had run a Common Platform with
Congress in United Province
Muslim League won more Muslim seats in UP than any Other Muslim Party
Muslim League was Offered Coalition on Humiliating Terms;
1. Muslim league should dissolved its Parliamentary Organization
2.All its representative should become Member of Congress
3.All Policy Decision should be made by majority vote of Congress
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These humiliating terms offered to Muslim Leagues were not acceptable to any
Independent Party
Muslim League did not accept these Terms
Congress was drunk with victories insisted that congress was the sole National
Organization and denied existence of any other Political Party
Jawaharlal Nehru declared,
“There are only two force in India today, British Imperialism and the Indian
Nationalism represented by Congress”
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An attempt to claim that congress had right to be recognized as the sole inheritor
of Power from British
Jinnah immediately reminded that There was A Third Party to be reckoned with,
the Muslim
Muslim league is the Sole party to represent Muslims of India and its could not be
neglected at political landscape of India
Results of Congress Ministries
Congress Ministries immediately ordered to hoist Congress Flag in all
Government Buildings
Hindi was introduced in School and Colleges
Bande Matram was made compulsory to be sung in Legislative Assemblies and
Educational Institutions
Bande Matram is a hymn to Goddess Durga, identified as the national
personification of India. It played a vital role in the Indian independence
movement, first sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896
session of the Indian National Congress
It is pray to Goddess to destroy Muslim and save Motherland
Bande Mataram
The root of the Sanskrit word Vande is Vand, which appears in Rigveda which means “to praise,
celebrate, laud, salute respectfully” and the word “Mataram” has Indo-European roots in Matar-
(Sanskrit), méter (Greek), mâter (Latin) which mean “mother”. “Vande Mataram”, originally
pronounced as ‘Bande Mataram’ is a poem written in 1875 by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee that
found a place in his novel “Anandamath” in 1882 with additional stanzas, means “I praise thee,
Mother” or “I praise to thee, Mother”.
The Pro-Hindu sentiment depicted in the novel Anandamath where while praising “Santans” who
used to live in a dense forest somewhere in Bengal and emerge time to time to make war against
British and Muslims, Muslims were shown in low lights – and on top of that, when these santans
were not only the children of Motherland but Goddess Kali?
Muslim believe by uttering “Bande Mataram” is committing “Shirq” sin of worshipping anyone
or anything in addition to Allah.
Muslim Viewpoint
The Muslim viewpoint is that Islam, being a monotheist religion, forbids the apotheosis of any
deity, animate or inanimate, except God, the supreme creator
In fact, ascribing divinity to even Prophet Mohammad is considered an act of blasphemy
negating the very purpose of Islam, that is, to promote the concept of unity of mankind through
the worship of a common creator
In this context, those opposed to the Muslim point of view should know that Vande Mataram
contains verses that are in direct conflict with the beliefs of Islam
When a Muslim sings these words he is forced to equate his country with the Hindu goddesses
Durga and Lakshmi, thereby deifying the land of India. This goes against the concept
of tawheed (oneness of God) according to which a Muslim cannot supplicate to anyone except
God
Vidya Mandir Scheme
Vidya Mandir Educational scheme was introduced to
confuse the muslims about Islamic ideology
It was given by Dr Zakir Hussain
It was purely anti-Muslim in spirit. The purpose of
Scheme was to displace the idea of two nation theory
from minds of Muslim children, while Vidya Mandar
Scheme aimed at promoting Hindu culture by making
Mandar education necessary at elementary level
Pakistan Resolution
Background
The Lahore Resolution is the most significant landmark in the history of Pakistan
freedom struggle. In the month of March 1940, the Muslims of India adopted a
resolution representing their national objectives and expressing their firm
commitment to make all out efforts for the achievement of these objectives.
Important events and factors that led to the adoption of this Resolution are summed
up here:
The Two Nation Theory: The Muslims, by virtue of their faith, are a nation separate
and distinct from all other nationals of the World. Their spiritual and national
aspirations could only be realized in a state which was Islamic in nature, where they
could live as free citizen and could model their lives in accordance with Islamic
injunctions.
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Hindu Extremism: The Muslims had lived with the Hindus as neighbors and
compatriots for about one thousand years. On the basis of their experience they
could not expect good neighbourly treatment from the extremist Hindus, who had
already made it clear that the Muslims had no place in India, they should embrace
Hinduism or quit India.
Iqbal’s Allahabad Address: Delivering his presidential address at the annual
session of the Muslim League held in December 1930, poet-philosopher, Allama
Muhammad Iqbal said that the north-western part of the Indian sub-continent was
predominantly Muslim, that Muslims living in these area for a distinct and
separate national entity and that their rights in any future constitution should be
determined in this light.
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Oppressive Congress Rule: The two year (1937-39) tyrannical
Congress Raj further disillusioned the Muslims and they were
compelled to conclude that only a separate and independent
Muslim homeland could guarantee their rights.
Popularity of the Muslim League: The Quaid-e-Azam kept
persistently in touch with the Muslims during the oppressive-
Congress rule, he was successful in impressing upon them that
a horrible future lies ahead them if the Congress were
entrusted authority to rule the whole of India.
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE
LAHORE RESOLUTION
TheLahore Resolution embodied minimum demands regarding the political status of
the Muslims in South-East Asia. The Muslims resolved in unambiguous terms that
they will only accept a constitutional formula which satisfied the following Muslim
demands:
FederalScheme Disapproved: The federal scheme formulated in the Government of
India Act 1935 is absolutely unsuitable for the Indian conditions. The Indian Muslim
will never accept it.
Establishment of Independent States: It was clearly stated that a constitution
acceptable for the Muslims of India shall be based on the following principles:
“Geographically contiguous units be demarcated into regions ….. in which the
Muslims are numerically a majority, as in the north-western and eastern zones of
India, should be grouped to constitute independent states in which the constituent
units shall be autonomous and sovereign”.
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Safeguards for Minorities: In the newly established Muslim and non-Muslim
states adequate constitutional safeguards should be provided to minorities, with
their consultation, for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic,
political and administrative rights and interests.
Extent of State Sovereignty: The Resolution authorized the Muslim League
Working Committee to draft a detailed constitutional scheme in the light
principles stipulated in the Resolution, this schemes shall ensure that the states
created under this schemes have full control over defense, foreign affairs,
communication, customs and all other necessary subjects.
Drawback of the Lahore Resolution
Following are the most notable Drawback of the Lahore Resolution:
1. Word ‘ Pakistan’ was no where used in the text of the Lahore Resolution.
2. The Resolution did not demand one Muslim state in clear terms. The ambiguity,
which was caused due to the use of plural’ states’ was removed later at Madras
session of the Muslim League held in 1941. A resolution adopted at this session
clearly stated, that the Muslim League stood for only one sovereign independent
Muslim state.
3. The boundaries of the Muslim state or states were not defined in the Resolution,
words like units, regions and zones were used instead.
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Itsflaws were exploited by congress and
Mountbatten to justify the partition of Bengal and
Punjab
It was also used as the basis of Six Point
Pragramme speeled out by Mujeb Ur Reham in
1966
Second World War and the Termination
of Congress Ministries
Break out of Second World War
British Declare War
Deploring Declaration of War without consent of Indian People
Resignation of Ministries
Independent Nation entitled to frame constitution
Ghandi Civil Disobedient Movement
Limited Cooperation Tone Muslim League
Muslim league urged that Muslim troops should not be used against Muslim
Cripps Mission
Introduction
In March 1942, a mission headed by Stafford Cripps was sent to India with
constitutional proposals to seek Indian support for the war
Stafford Cripps was a left-wing Labourite, the leader of the House of Commons
and a member of the British War Cabinet who had actively supported the Indian
national movement
The Purpose of Cripps Mission
Following the World War-II, the Cripps Mission had several reasons to come to
India. The reasons are given below:
Britain suffered many losses in Southeast Asia and Japan’s threat to invade India
seemed real for them. Hence, Britain wanted India’s support.
Britain was pressurised by the allies (USA, USSR & China) to seek India’s
cooperation.
Indian nationalists had agreed to support the Allied as they hoped for immediate
transfer of substantial power and complete independence after the war
Proposals of Cripps Mission
1. India would be a dominion associated with the United kingdom.
2. It promised that immediately after the war is stopped, steps would be taken
up to set up an elected body charged with the task of making the constitution
for India and provisions would be made so that the Indian states could
participate in the framing of the constitution.
3. An Indian Union with a dominion status would be set up. It would be free to
decide its relations with the Commonwealth and free to participate in the
United Nations and other international bodies.
4. After the end of the war, a constituent assembly would be convened to frame
a new constitution. Members of this assembly would be partly elected by the
provincial assemblies through proportional representation and partly
nominated by the princes.
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5.The British Government would accept the new constitution subject
to two conditions.
1. Any province not willing to join the Union could have a
separate constitution and form a separate Union
2. The new constitution-making body and the British Government
would negotiate a treaty to effect the transfer of power and to
safeguard racial and religious minorities.
6. In the meantime, Defence of India would remain in British hands and the governor-general’s powers
would remain intact.
7. The making of the constitution was to be solely in Indian hands now
8. A concrete plan was provided for the constituent assembly.
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9. Option was available to any province to have a separate
constitution a blueprint for India’s partition.
10. Free India could withdraw from the Commonwealth.
11. Indians were allowed a large share in the
administration in the interim period.
12. The transfer of power and the rights of
minorities would be safeguarded by negotiations between
the Constituent Assembly and the British government.
Significance of Cripps Mission
1. For the first time, the British government acknowledged India’s right to be a
dominion.
2. Indians could frame their own Constitution.
3. The proposal of giving freedom to the provinces to be a separate union turned
out to be a model for the country’s partition in 1947.
4. The right to cede from the Commonwealth indicated full sovereignty at a later
stage.
5. In the interim period, Indians were guaranteed a good share in the
administration.
Failure of Cripps Mission
The proposals were seen as too radical by the British and as too
conservative by the Congress who wanted complete independence.
The Mission was rejected by the Congress, the Muslim League and other
Indian groups.
The Hindu Mahasabha and the Liberals were against the right of states to
secede.
The Depressed Classes objected because they were apprehensive about
their status in a country where they will be in a minority.
Itis also believed that the mission failed because of a clear lack of support
for it by the Viceroy Linlithgow, British PM Winston Churchill and the
Secretary of State for India, Leo Amery.
Indian National Congress Rejected the Mission
Congress rejected the Cripps Mission for the following reasons:
1. Thecongress was against the provinces’ right to separately
form unions as this was damaging to national unity.
2. They were also against the Governor-General’s power being
retained as against him being only a constitutional head.
3. They also protested the lack of share in Defence.
4. There was no concrete plan for the immediate transfer of
power.
Muslim League Rejected the Cripps
Mission
Muslim League rejected the Cripps Mission for the
following reasons:
1. They did not like the idea of a single union of India.
2. Theyprotested against the method for the Constituent
Assembly’s creation and also against the procedure to
decide on the provinces’ accession to the Indian union.
3. Thought that the proposals denied to the Muslims the
right to self-determination and the creation of Pakistan.
Cabinet Mission 1946
Introduction
Cabinet Mission was a high-powered mission sent in February 1946 to India by the Atlee
Government (British Prime Minister.) The mission had three British cabinet members;
1.Sir Pethick Lawrence, Secretary of State for India.
2.Sir Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade,
3.Alexander, the First Lord of the Admiralty
The Cabinet Mission’s aim was to discuss the transfer of power from British to Indian leadership
Purpose of the Mission
1. To resolve political deadlock between the Indian
National Congress and the All-India Muslim
League at their stance to prevent a communal
dispute whether British India would be unified or
divided.
2. Interim Government
3. Framework of Constitution of soon to be
independent India
Proposal of the Cabinet Mission
The unity of India had to be retained. Union will be consist of British provinces and
the Indian States.
It proposed a very loose union of all the Indian territories under a center that would
control merely defence, the Foreign Affairs and the Commutation. The Union would
have the powers necessary to raise the finances to manage these subjects.
At the same time, individual provinces could form regional unions to which they
could surrender by mutual agreement some of their powers
The provinces would be divided into three groups or sections:
Group A: Madras, Central Provinces, UP, Bihar, Bombay and Orissa
Group B: Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan
Group C: Bengal and Assam
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The Union should have an Executive and a Legislature constituted from British Indian and States'
representatives. Any question raising a major communal issue in the Legislature should require
for its decision a majority of the representatives present and voting of each of the two major
communities as well as a majority of all members present and voting.
The Constitutions of the Union and of the groups should contain a provision whereby any
Province could by majority vote of its Legislative Assembly could call for a reconsideration of
the terms of the Constitution after an initial period of ten years and at ten-yearly intervals
thereafter
Provinces should be free to form groups with Executives and Legislatures, and each group could
determine the Provincial subjects to be taken in common.
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All subjects other than Union subjects and residuary power would vest in the provinces of British
India.
The Princely states would retain all subjects and all residuary powers.
A constituent assembly would be set up for writing a new constitution for the country. An interim
government would be established until a new government was formed on the basis of the
constitution written by the constituent assembly.
A Constituent Assembly consisting of 389 members-292 from provinces, 4 from territories
governed by Chief Commissioners and 93 from Indian Princely States would draft the
Constitution of India.
An interim government at the Central consisting of representatives of all the communities,
provinces would be installed on the basis of parity between the representatives of the Hindus and
Muslims.
Interim Government at the center, enjoying the support of major political parties and with the
Indians holding all the portfolios.
Reaction to The Mission
The Congress accepted the proposals related to the Constituent assembly.
But since, the Muslim league had been given disproportionate representation; it
rejected the idea of the Interim Government.
Congress also rejected the idea of a weak center and division of India in small
states.
Congress was against decentralization and the idea was to have a strong center.
The Muslim league first approved the plan. But when Congress declared that it
could change the scheme through its majority in the Constituent Assembly, they
rejected the plan.
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On July 27, the Muslim League Council met at
Bombay where Jinnah restated the demand for
Pakistan as the only course left open to the Muslim
League.
On July 29, it rejected the plan and called the
Muslims to resort to “Direct Action” to achieve the
land of their dream “Pakistan”. August 16, 1946
was fixed as “Direct Action Day“.
3rd June Plan
The government announced the 3rd June Plan in which it was decided to partition
of the sub-continent. Punjab & Bengal were to be divided on the basis of Muslim
majority and Hindus majority areas.
MountBatten Appointment:
The Muslim league accept the interim government but did not participate in the
constitution making process . Therefore the dream of making a constitution could
be realized. The whole system was suspended. The venture of wavell & Gandhi
miserably failed. The whose process of transfer of power were conducted by
viceroy lord Mountbatten.
Main Features Of The 3rd June Plan
Following were the main features of the plan.
1.The legislatures of Punjab and Bengal shall decide that whether the provinces
should be divided or not.
2.The Indian people shall make the constitution of India. This constitution shall
not be applicable to those areas whose people reject it.
3.Referendum shall be held in NWFP.
4.The province of Baluchistan shall adopt a proper way to decide its future.
5.Statesshall be free and independent to join one or the other country. Both
countries shall have their own Governor-General who will be the Executive
Head of their respective countries.
6.A boundary commission shall be set up to demarcate the boundaries of the two
countries.
India Independence Act 1947
Introduction
India Independence Act 1947 was an act passed by the Parliament of the United
Kingdom (UK) that divided the British India into two new independent dominions
of India and Pakistan. The Act received the assent of the royal family on July 18,
1947 after which, India came into existence on August 15 and Pakistan on August
14 in the year 1947.
The Act was formulated together by UK Prime Minister Clement Attlee and the
Governor-General of India Lord Mountbatten after the representatives of the
Indian National Congress, the Muslim League, and the Sikh community gave their
consent to the Act.
Background of the India Independence
Act 1947
On February 20, 1947, Clement Attlee, the then Prime
Minister of the UK, made an announcement that British
India would be granted full self-government rights by June
1948. He also stated that as soon as the date of the final
transfer is confirmed, the future of the princely states will be
decided.
In view of this plan included two principles. Firstly, the
British India would be partitioned and, secondly, the
government taking over thereafter would be given dominion
status
Salient Features of the Act
The British government will leave India on 15th August, 1947
The two new dominions, India and Pakistan came into existence after the
formulation of this Act. Dominion of India will represent the desire of all
people in India for self-government, while the Dominion of Pakistan
would express the demand of the Muslims for the self-government.
The dominion of Pakistan would include Provinces of Sindh, N.W.F.P the
British Baluchistan, east Bengal, West Punjab and the states which would
accede to Pakistan. The act also provided for the Legislature of the two
dominions.
Punjab and Bengal will be divided and its territories will be demarcated
by a boundary commission to be headed by Mr. Redcliff.
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Each Dominion was to have a sovereign legislature for rule making purpose. No
law made by British Parliament was automatically to apply to India.
The powers previously exercised by the British government in India will be
transferred to both these states.
A bill passed by the Dominions legislature could not be disallowed by His
Majesty.
Relations of the British government with India henceforth were to be conducted
through Commonwealth Relations Office
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It conceded complete cessation of British control over Indian affairs from August
14, 1947. Thereafter the powers of the British Government and Parliament over
the India and Pakistan would cease altogether.
It provided for the creation of two constituent assemblies for two dominions. All
powers were to be vested in the constituent assembly of each dominion. Each
constituent assembly thus became the sovereign law-making body in each
dominion with full powers to frame her constitution in any way it might decide.
Both the dominions were given full right to decide whether to remain with the
British Commonwealth of Nations or to come out of it.
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Until a new constitution was framed for each dominion, the Act made the existing
constituent assemblies the domination legislature for the time being. The
assemblies were to exercise all the powers which were formerly exercised by the
central legislature. This was in addition to its powers regarding the framing of
new constitution
Till the framing of the new constitution each of the dominions and all the
provinces were to the overfed in accordance with the government of India Act,
1935. Each dominion was authorized to amend the government of Indian Act,
1935 under the Independence Act 1947.
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The right of the King to veto laws or to reserve laws for his pleasure was given
up. Under the Independence Act of 1947, this right was given to the Governor-
General. He was also given the full right to assent in the name of his majesty to
any law of the dominion legislature made in its ordinary legislative capacity.
The office of the Secretary of state’s for India was to be abolished and his work
was to be taken over by the secretary of the state for commonwealth affairs
It was provided that for each of the new dominions there shall be a Governor-
General who shall be appointed by his majesty and shall represent his majesty for
the purpose of the Government of the dominions.
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Paramountcy of Britain over Indian states and
tribal areas was to come to an end on 14th
August, 1947. In their case power was not to
be transferred to dominions, but it was left to
the states to decide whether they would like
to join India or Pakistan.
