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Summary
Modern Indian History Class 30

Provisions of GOI act 1935(5.04 PM):

At the center(Never came in effects):

It provided for a federal structure for the whole of India.
That is India to be a union of British India and 565 princely states.
Federalism:
That is the federal relation between British India and princely states.
This needed the "instrument of accession"(Under section 6) to the union of India by at least half of the 565 princes,
which was never done.
Therefore central level provisions never came into force.
Princely states did not agree to exceed a union with India as:
Paramountcy was not abolished therefore did not want another authority over them in form of a Union
government.
Did not want to surrender financial autonomy to the union government.
Small princely states were unhappy with low representation at the center.
There was fear of democracy if became part of a union as then INC could launch movements even in princely
states.
Bicameral legislature:
Federal Assembly(lower house) and council of State (Upper house).
1/3rd members in the federal assembly to be nominees of princes.
This eliminated the chance of INC having a majority at the center.
Life of council of state to be permanent with 1/3d members retiring every year.
Life of 5 years for federal assembly.
Direct election for council of state but indirect election to federal assembly.
Right to vote for more Indian but only 10 percent got it due to income criteria.
The intent was to prevent voting rights to INC support base of poor peasants and workers.
The separate electorate continued.
Reservation for SCs in all legislative bodies and also for women and labor.
Depressed classes got renamed to Scheduled caste.
1st-time federal distribution of subjects- federal, provincial, and concurrent list.
Therefore there was a devolution of subject and not mere delegation by the center.
80% of the budget was still not votable and the Viceroy could restore cuts in grants.
Residuary powers were with the viceroy.
Viceroy has veto power, ordinance power, and power to certify even rejected bills.
Dyarchy at the center, reserved and transfers subjects.
Reserved subjects were under total control of the viceroy example defense, internal security, foreign affairs, tribal
regions, and church.
Transferred subjects were to be legislated upon by central legislature and to be administered by ministers
responsible to legislature and viceroy to function on aid and advice of executive council about transfer subjects.
Fiscal autonomy to the government of India:
Transfer of financial control of British-India from the secretary of state to the viceroy.
Therefore it reduced the paper of the secretary of state(JL Nehru termed this as the only major change in the act).
At provinces:
Provincial autonomy -now the federal distribution of subjects.
Autonomy from control from the center.
As dyarchy was ended and all subjects were now transferred subjects, therefore full responsible government in
provinces.
Popular ministers had independent financial powers.
Direct election with a separate electorate.
40% of the budget is still not votable.
Council of ministers headed by a premier- Resposbile to PLA.
No mention of dominion status, and the goal was to have control over the center and get INC busy in provinces.
Government formation by regional leaders will make them autonomous power centers, independent of central INC
leadership, and therefore weaken INC at the all-India levels.
Also, the governor was still too powerful as he had discretionary power to summon legislature, ordinance power,
administration of tribal regions, special powers to protect the rights of minorities, power to take over government
& run it indefinitely and veto powers over bills.
INC opposed the representation of princely states by nominees of princes that demanded elected representatives
from princely states.
Muslim league has fear of Hindu majority at the center as there were very few Muslim majority provinces and
there were indirectly elections to the federal assembly.
INC rejected GOI 1935 and demanded a constituent assembly elected by universal adult franchises.

Congress ministries(28-month rule)(6.40 PM):

INC formed a government under various provinces after the 1935 GOI act.
The goal of INC for fighting election was to prevent the Non-INC from coming to power(similar logic as in the 1923
election to CLA).
INC would promote constructive rule better.
INC got a majority in all provinces except Bengal, Punjab, Sind, NWFP, and Assam.
 It was the largest party in Bengal, Assam, and NWFP.
It formed a coalition government in Assam and NWFP.
Congress ministries boosted the morale of peasants and workers and strengthened the peasant and working-class
movements.
However, some right-wing leaders like KM Munshi used CID to spy on left-wing leaders creating tensions within
INC.
INC gained important experience in governance due to the end of Dyarchy-Fully responsible government and
provincial autonomy under the GOI act 1935.

WW-II and Indian national movement(6.52 PM):

WWII lead to the INC demand of 1939 at the Wardha meet.

Pakistan resolution March 1940.
August offer 1940.
Individual satyagraha 1940.
Cripps mission 1942.
Quit India movement 1942.
INA 1942.
Bengal famine 1943.
Rajaji formula-CR formula 1944.
Desai-Liaquat Pact 1945.
Wavell plan 1945.
INA agitation 1945.
Cabinet mission 1946.
Navel rating mutiny 1946.
 Atlee statement 1947.
Mountbatten plan 1947.
Indian independence act 1947.
Implementation of partition and integration of princely states.

August offer 1940(6.58 PM):

It was provided by Linlithgow.

Background:
1939 INC stand on WWII:
The majority of INC leaders favored allied victory as axis powers were aggressors and dictators.
After WW1 victorious powers took over colonies losing power, therefore the axis power won and colonize India,
then all progress of INM will be lost.
However since the British dragged India into war without consent, therefore we were an unwilling participant and
therefore INC would not actively support the British until actual independence.
Therefore INC's position was neither support nor sabotage.
INC demanded- an immediately responsible government at the center, constituent assembly post-war, British
should declare war aims concerning India's future.
Therefore INC wanted an official commitment to self-rule in India.
Mahatama Gandhi was for unconditional support to the British as justice was on the allied side.
Nehru was for no cooperation until actual independence and no advantage to be taken of war.
Bose was to take advantage of wear and state CDM for Poorna Swaraj.
Linlithgow rejected INC's demands and only stated that the British will set up an advisory committee of Indian
politicians and representatives of princes to advise the British in war efforts.
Wardha Meet of 1939 of CWC:
Refused war support.
Decided to withdraw from PLAs and therefore resignation from congress ministries.
Linlithgow panicked and promised dominion status after the war.
Muslim league saw an opportunity and passed the Lahore resolution, in 1940.
Provisions of august offer:
Will expand the viceroy executive council.
Will set up an advisory war council.
Promised setting up constituent assembly after the war where mainly Indian will frame constitution with dominion
status.
Therefore for the first time recognized the right of India to draft the constitution.
And for 1st time promised dominion status explicitly with a definite timeline.
No future constitution without the consent of minorities(therefore gave veto power to ML regarding the framing of
the constitution).
It was rejected by INC at Wardha session 1940 as accepting the august offer 1940 was equivalent to accepting the
partition of India.
Since 1929 Lahore session demand of INC was Poorna swaraj and not dominion status.
Muslim league rejected the august offer as no mention of 2 constituent assemblies and Pakistan/ partition
explicitly.
Individual satyagraha 1940:
Under pressure to launch CDM, Gandhiji launched instead individual satyagraha with the goal of freedom of
speech and not of Poorna Swaraj.
Vinova Bhava, JL Nehuru and Brahamadutt became 1est 3 satyagrahi.
They launched the Delhi Chalo movements and the jail bharo movement.
Made demand for freedom of speech, got arrested and if not then kept marching towards Delhi until arrested.
Viceroy council expanded from 3/8 to 8/12 but without defense, home, and finance portfolios.
Cripps mission(7.54 PM):

Background:
Germany attacked USSR and Japan attacked the USA and thus increasing the fear of Japanese invasion.
Therefore INC overrides the objection of Nehru and Gandhi and offers cooperation if:
Poorna swaraj post-war and immediate transfer of power.
Fear of japan increased further when it occupied Burma leading to the arrival of the Cripps mission in 1942.
Provisions:
Dominion status post-war.
Constitutional assembly post-war having solely Indian.
Constitutional assembly to have members nominated by princes.
Elected members from PLAs after the election in provinces as per GOI 1935.Â
Options to provinces of British India and each princely state to not join the union, frame own condition or set up
own union if any princely state is not in agreement with the condition framed by Constitutional assembly.
If the transfer of power during the war then defense to continue under the British viceroy and no dilution of the
power of the viceroy.
Cripps's mission failed and Gandhi called it a Post-dated cheque.
INC wanted Poorna Swaraj after the war and wanted princely states to be represented by elected members, with
no right to secede to any province or princely states.
However INC agreed to the autonomy of Muslim majority provinces.
ML opposed it as they wanted 2 Constitutional assemblies and Pakistan.
INC wanted an immediate transfer of power with viceroy as constitutional head and talks broke down on this point.
British adopted the take it or leave it to approach.

The topic for the next class: The quit India movement.