India from 1940-47 – Set 3

Q.1 Negotiation aimed at independence during the second World war achieved nothing. Do you agree?
Give reasons. [14]

c) ‘During the Second World War (1939–1945), negotiations aimed at Indian Independence achieved
little.’ Give reasons why you might agree and disagree with this statement. [14] june 2013

Marking Scheme

LEVEL 1: Simplistic statement [1–2] They didn’t because there was a War going on.

LEVEL 2: Description of negotiations [3–6] A number of negotiations took place during these years.
The Cripps Mission offered Dominion Status after the War if the sub-Continent would acknowledge the
threat from the Japanese and support the war effort. This was rejected and Gandhi proposed a Quit India
Resolution which called for the immediate withdrawal of the British from India. Gandhi and
Jinnah also held talks in 1944 with regard to the future of India.

LEVEL 3: Agrees – explains reasons why [7–10]

OR Disagrees – explains reasons why
LEVEL 4: Agrees and disagrees – explains reasons why [9–13]
Failures
Breakdown of relations between Congress and Muslim League
Rejection of Cripps Mission’s proposals
Imprisonment following Quit India protests
Failure to reach agreement from Jinnah-Gandhi talks 1944
Failure to reach agreement from Simla Conference 1945

Successes
Muslim League’s own progress in Day of Deliverance/Lahore Resolution
Unity in rejecting Cripps Mission/demands for a separate homeland
Muslim political gains in Jinnah-Gandhi talks
Muslim stance at Simla Conference – necessity for new elections

LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation. [14]

Answer:

In 1939 British announced that India was at war with Germany without consulting congress. This angered
Congress ant their ministers resigned in anger. Thus Congress tyrant rule ended and Jinnah asked Muslims
to celebrate the day of deliverance. This led Jinnah to conclude that separate Muslim state would be the
only solution to the problems of Muslims. So in 1940 Muslims league changed its objective and passed
Pakistan Resolution . This clearly shows that any cooperation between the Muslim League and the
Congress was not possible in any future negotiations.

In 1942, British sent Cripps Mission to negotiate with the Indians as they needed Indian troops in the war.
Both Muslim League and the Congress rejected it. Congress wanted immediate control of Indian affairs
whereas Cripps Mission offered every concession after the war. Congress could not wait and trust the
British anymore. The Muslim League rejected it because it contained no reference to the establishment of
Pakistan. The opposition to the Cripps mission showed that Indians wanted independence and would not
accept anything less than that. British also realized that they had to transfer the power to the Indians soon.
As a reaction to Cripps Mission proposals congress launched Quit India Movement and wanted the
immediate withdrawal of British. However, this created violence and British had to ban Congress and arrest
its leaders including Gandhi. This shows that the British were not as weak as the Congress thought.
Moreover the Muslims League did not support the Quit India campaign and called it a black mail because
Jinnah knew that partition could only be achieved if British remained in India. Once again no cooperation
between the Congress and the League was seen.

In 1944 another important negotiation was seen when Gandhi invited Jinnah for talks about the future of
India after the British departure. However, the talks failed. Gandhi rejected partition and wanted League to
support Congress to drive the British out. He also rejected the two nation theory which was the League’s
official policy. Jinnah also disapproved of the unitary form of government that Gandhi proposed. The talks
showed that there was very little common ground between the two. It also showed that league had come to
an equal footing of congress without which no compromise was possible for the solution of the problems of
India.

By 1945 it was clear that the British would leave India therefore Lord Wavell called all parties of India to
discuss the future of India. It was decided that that an interim executive council would be set up to hold
elections. But the trouble began over the nomination of members for the executive council. Congress
wanted to nominate a Muslim from Muslim seats whereas Jinnah refused it. Lord Wavell, after seeing a
deadlock closed the conference. It was then become very clear that independence had become closer and
partition was inevitable.

Evaluation:
It can be said that the negotiations during the Second World War were very important though most of them
failed to achieve their objectives each was a step forward towards the Indian cause and finally led to
independence in 1947.

[Additional paragraphs in case of timeline given till 1947]

In 1945-46 elections were held in India. The results showed how divided India was. Congress won 92 % of
Hindu votes and Muslim league won 87% of Muslim votes. This proved that Muslims of India wanted and
an independent state. However, in 1946 Cabinet mission which came to structure the new govt. in India
rejected the partition of the sub –continent It came with its own proposal of Indian Union which was
rejected by both , the Congress and the League. This showed that any proposal other than the partition
could not be acceptable to Muslims.

In 1945 Labour Govt. had resumed the power and wanted to hand over power to Indians as early a possible.
Clement Atlee announced that the British would leave India by July 1948. This time Jinnah wanted the
Muslim to show their strength to attain partition and called for the Direct Action Day. However, it turned
violent and led to 4000 deaths in Calcutta. Seeing this British sent Lord Mountbatten , a new viceroy of
India to give away independence to Indians. After several meetings with Indian leaders, on 3rd June
Mountbatten came up with a plan and declared the partition of India as two independent states of India and
Pakistan.
Sample Questions: 3rd June plan was the most significant step towards Indian independence form 1945-47.
Do you agree? Give reasons. [10/14 marks]

Was the success of the Labour Party in winning the British General Election in 1945 the
most important reason why the sub-continent of India was partitioned in 1947? Explain your
answer. [10] nov 2015 [compulsory]

In June 1945 Lord Wavell tried to sort out the problems of India with his proposals. He wanted that the
Indians would agree on a settlement to govern India after the British departure. He therefore invited the
great leaders to a conference in Simla on 25 June to consult with him the formation of the new Executive
Council. At first all parties agreed to the proposal of forming an interim Executive council but then there
was a deadlock over the nomination for the councils. Congress wanted to nominate its Muslim member
from the Muslim seat whereas Jinnah denied its right to nominate the Muslim member. Seeing this Lord
Wavell closed the conference and called it a failure. However, it showed that the League and its leadership
stood firm in their demands and would not tolerate any rigid attitude of the congress. Jinnah could not let
the Muslim be in a minority who could not make any decision without Congress support. The failure of the
conference further widened the gap between the two communities.

Unexpectedly, in Britain the Labour Party won the elections in 1945. It was opposed of any imperialism
and was eager to promote independence for India. On 19 September 1945, the Viceroy Lord
Wavell announced elections to the central and provincial legislatures to be held in December 1945 to
January 1946. General elections were held in British India in December 1945 to elect members of
the Central Legislative Assembly. The Indian National Congress emerged as the largest party, winning 59
of the 102 elected seats. The Muslim League won all Muslim constituencies, but failed to win any other
seats. Muslim league was also a major party in the provincial legislatures of Bengal, Sindh and Punjab.
Even though Congress won, the League had united the Muslim vote and as such it gained the negotiating
power to seek a separate Muslim homeland as it became clear that a united India would prove highly
unstable.

In March 1946 members of the British Cabinet Mission arrived in India to work with Indian leaders on
Independence plan. They met more than 470 Indian leaders but could not reach an agreement. Therefore
they proposed to set up Indian union and denied any partition. However, it made three groups within united
India. The Muslim League accepted the proposals as long as the grouping was compulsory. However, the
congress objected the grouping and declared that they would alter the plan after assuming power. Quaid-e-
Azam then made it clear that no settlement was possible without Pakistan. Thus the plan failed.

The British moved on, the Lord Wavell set about forming an Interim government. In spite of opposition
from the league an interim govt. headed by Jawaharlal Nehru of the congress took the office on September
2, 1946. However, later in October Jinnah also nominated five League members including one Hindu.
[Jinnah nominated Liaquat Ali Khan, I. I. Chundrigar, Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, Ghazanfar Ali Khan and
Jogandra Nath Mandal to the cabinet].Jinnah also feared that the British would soon leave India without
partition so he called for the direct Action Day, a peaceful protest to show their strength. But there was a
serious rioting on the day and in Calcutta nearly 4000 people were killed. This violence did not stop and
later turned into Hind- Muslim massacre in other cities of India.

The British feared that the protest and riots would lead to a civil war in India. The Labor government was
frustrated and announced the British departure from India no later than June 1948 without partitioning it.
British appointed Lord Mountbatten as the final viceroy of India to oversee transfer of power. He met
several leaders and came to a conclusion that partition was inevitable. On 3 rd June 1947 he announced the
government intention to hand over power to two independent states by August 1947. The Muslim league
accepted the plan and Pakistan became a reality.
Seven mark Questions:

1. Why was the Cripps Mission of 1942 unsuccessful? [7] June 2009, 2012
The Cripps mission was unsuccessful because both, the Congress and the League opposed it.
In 1942, the British sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India with some proposals because they wanted Indian
support during the Second World War. It offered dominion status to Indians with their own constitution
after the war. It also promised elections in India when the war ended.

Congress rejected the Plan because it did not go far enough, demanding instead immediate and full control
over the central government. Congress could not wait till the war ended and could not trust the British any
more. Congress also feared that British existence in India could lead to Japanese invasion in the sub-
continent. They wanted the British to leave India immediately. However, they agreed to support British
during the war once they got the power. Nothing such was proposed therefore congress rejected.

Muslim league rejected the proposals as it contained no reference of the establishment of Pakistan, League
had recently changed its aim and passed Pakistan resolution therefore anything less than the establishment
of an independent Muslimstate was not at all acceptable for Muslim league. Moreover, in 1942, the British
had been defeated by the Germans. Congress thought that it was the best time to pressurize the British. The
British were negotiating from a weak position which Congress exploited by demanding Britain leave the
sub-continent immediately and started quit India movement.

2- Why did the Gandhi-Jinnah Talks fail in 1944? [7]

The talks failed because Jinnah did not approve of Gandhi’s proposals and Gandhi refused to accept
Muslims’ demands. (Gandhi put forward the Rajaji formulai but Jinnah refused)
Gandhi wanted to achieve independence first and foremost. He wanted a League – Congress agreement so
that the people of India would drive the British out with their joint action and he said that partition
discussions could follow later. Whereas Jinnah whereas Jinnah wanted to settle the issue of partition first
and before the British left. He knew that his bargaining position would be much weaker if he went along
with Gandhi’s plan.

Gandhi insisted that he spoke for all Indians and couldn’t accept the position of Muslims as
being a separate nation. Hence independence for all Indians as a united nation was on his agenda. Thus he
denied the Two Nation Theory which was the League’s official policy. Jinnah was at odds with Gandhi and
accused him of only speaking for Hindus, otherwise he would accept the idea of partition. He accused
Gandhi of not accepting the two nation idea of partition.

Another reason was that Gandhi wanted central federation to have control over reserved subjects like
defence and foreign policies. This would mean more power to Hindu and Jinnah believed that this was
against provincial autonomy. Gandhi suggested unitary form of government whereas Jinnah disagreed and
wanted a loose federation. The two leaders also differed with regard to the boundaries of Pakistan and how
the issue of whether India should be divided at all, was to be determined. Gandhi accepted Sindh,
Baluchistan and N.W.F.P. as Muslim majority areas but he tried that Punjab, Bengal and Assam should be
divided communally. Jinnah refused to accept this too.
On 27th September, Jinnah announced the termination of talks after the failure of the two leaders to reach
an agreement saying, “We trust that this is not the final end of our effort.

Challenging Questions for Practice fpr CIE

Q.1 Why did the British call the Simla Conference in 1945?
Q.2 Why did the Congress start Quit India movement in 1942?
Q.3 Why was the success of labor party so important for the Indian sub-continent?
Q.4 Why did the league perform well in the elections of 1945?