The Last Phase - Independence and Partition of India(1942-47)

The Wavell Plan was rejected by the Muslim League because it fell short of its demand for

1. Pakistan
2. Sindh
3. Baluchistan
4. Lahore

Answer

Pakistan

Who among the following was not a member of the Cabinet Mission?

1. Sir Stafford Cripps
2. A.V. Alexander
3. Pathic Lawrence
4. Lord Wavell

Answer

Lord Wavell

The Mountbatten Plan was announced on

1. June 3, 1947
2. June 8, 1947
3. June 13, 1947
4. June 23, 1947

Answer

June 3, 1947

Who was the Prime Minister of England at the time of Indian independence?

1. Winston Churchill
2. John Major
3. Clement Attlee
4. Harold Wilson

Answer

Clement Attlee

For the first time, the Constituent Assembly met on

1. 3 December 1946
2. 2 December 1946
3. 9 December 1946
4. 5 December 1946

Answer

9 December 1946

The acronym 'NWFP' stands for

1. North West Frontier Parliament
2. North-Western Forum Province
3. North-West Far Province
4. North-West Frontier Province

Answer

North-West Frontier Province

With reference to the given picture answer the following:

He presided the Congress Session of

1. 1929
2. 1936
3. 1937
4. All of these

Answer

All of these

With reference to the given picture answer the following:

Under his leadership, the interim government was formed in

1. September 1946
2. September 1947
3. January 1946
4. September 1948

Answer

September 1946

With reference to the given picture answer the following:

Which among the following books was written by him?

1. The God of Small Thing
2. Discovery of India
3. My Experiments with Truth
4. The New Nation

Answer

Discovery of India

With reference to the given picture answer the following:

He became first ............... of independent India.

1. Prime Minister
2. President
3. Home Minister
4. Food and Agriculture Minister

Answer

Prime Minister

Which of the following proposals was not given in the Mountbatten Plan?

1. The country was to be divided into two Dominions of India and Pakistan
2. The transfer of power was to be formalised on August 15, 1947.
3. Provinces of Bengal, Punjab and Assam were to be divided
4. All the princely states were to join Dominion of India

Answer

All the princely states were to join Dominion of India

Which prominent Congress leader had once declared that 'Partition would take place only over my dead body'?

1. Jawaharlal Nehru
2. Mahatma Gandhi
3. Sardar Patel
4. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Answer

Mahatma Gandhi

In which of the following provinces referendum was to be held to ascertain whether the people wanted to join India or Pakistan?

1. Bihar
2. NWFP
3. Central Provinces
4. United Provinces

Answer

NWFP

Which of the following reasons was cited by Clement Attlee that guided the British decision to relinquish the Raj in India?

1. INA activities
2. Royal Indian Navy Mutiny in 1946
3. Quit India Movement
4. Both (1) and (2)

Answer

Both (1) and (2)

Which of the following was not one of the clauses of the Indian Independence Act of 1947?

1. All treaties made with the British would lapse
2. The army and its assets would belong only to India
3. The Constituent Assemblies would serve as Central Legislatures
4. The Princely States were free to associate themselves with either Dominion

Answer

The army and its assets would belong only to India

In the question given below, there are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct option.

1. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
2. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
3. Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
4. Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.

Assertion (A) : The Congress accepted Partition with heavy heart and bitterness.

Reason (R) : Large scale violence, riots and fear of a civil war led Congress leaders to accept Partition.

Answer

Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).

Explanation — Keeping in view the large-scale bloodshed, chaos and anarchy, the Congress leaders, including even Gandhiji, accepted the partition but in bitterness and with a heavy heart. They were of the view that a small but strong India was better than a large but weak one.

What was the immediate impact of the given incident?

1. Appointment of Lord Mountbatten as the first Governor-General of independent India
2. Appointment of J.L. Nehru as the first Prime Minister of Sovereign, Socialist Republic of India
3. Appointment of J.L. Nehru as the first Prime Minister of Dominion of India.
4. Either (2) or (3)

Answer

Appointment of J.L. Nehru as the first Prime Minister of Dominion of India.

Identify the main provisions of the Indian Independence Act of 1947.

P : Establishment of two independent Dominions of India and Pakistan on August 15, 1947.

Q : The office of the Governor-General for each Dominion was to end forthwith and to be replaced by separate viceroys for each one of them.

R : The British Government would transfer all their powers to the Constituent Assemblies of India and Pakistan.

S : The Constituent Assembly of each Dominion shall elect new central legislatures.

1. P and Q
2. Q and R
3. P and R
4. Q and S

Answer

P and R

Read the two statements given below about the Mountbatten Plan and select the option that shows the correct relationship between (A) and (B).

(A) The country would be divided into two Dominions of India and Pakistan.

(B) Princely states would have the option to join either of the two Dominions.

1. (B) contradicts (A)
2. (B) is the reason for (A)
3. (A) is true but (B) is false
4. (A) and (B) are independent of each other

Answer

(A) and (B) are independent of each other

Why was the Cabinet Mission sent to India?

Answer

The Cabinet Mission was sent to India in 1946 with the primary goal of discussing and facilitating the transfer of power from British rule to Indian leadership. It aimed to achieve this while preserving India's unity and independence. The mission also sought to establish a framework for a constitution-making body and an interim government.

Give two reasons for change in the British attitude after 1942.

Answer

After 1942, the British attitude towards India began to shift due to two primary reasons:

1. The weakening of Britain's global standing after World War II.
2. The revolutionary activities of the INA made the British realise that they could no longer rely on the Indian Army and that their days in India were numbered.

State any two provisions of the Cabinet Mission Plan.

Answer

Two provisions of the Cabinet Mission Plan are given below:

1. There was to be a federation of all the provinces and states of India.
2. The Federal Centre would control only defence, foreign affairs and communication. The provinces would look after other subjects and also control residuary powers.

How was the federation to be formed at the Centre under the Cabinet Mission Plan?

Answer

The Federal Centre was to control only defence, foreign affairs and communication. The provinces would look after other subjects and also control residuary powers.

How was the Constituent Assembly constituted under the Cabinet Mission Plan?

Answer

A Constituent Assembly was to be elected to draw up the future Constitution of India. It would consist of 389 members — 292 from the Provinces, 4 from Chief Commissioner's Provinces and 93 from the Indian states.

Why did the Muslim League first accept and then reject the Cabinet Mission proposals?

Answer

The Muslim League accepted the Cabinet Plan in its entirety on June 6, 1946 because it felt that the grouping of Muslim-majority Provinces in a way meant the formation of Pakistan.

However, when the elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in July 1946, the Congress won 201 seats out of 292 seats which were reserved for the British India. It gained comfortable majority in the Assembly. The Muslim League could secure only 73 seats and felt disappointed. It demanded the establishment of two different Constituent Assemblies. The Muslim League under Jinnah's leadership passed a resolution on July 29, 1946 and rejected the Cabinet Mission Plan.

What was the reaction of the Congress to the Cabinet Mission proposals?

Answer

The Congress accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan with reservations.

1. It only accepted that part of the scheme which dealt with the Constitution-making.
2. It considered the Constituent Assembly as a sovereign body for drafting the Constitution. It regarded the grouping of the Provinces as optional and not compulsory.
3. The Congress rejected the scheme of Interim Government because of its limited status and powers and also because the Congress was given parity with the Muslim League in the formation of the Provisional Government.

How did the Sikhs react to the Cabinet Mission proposals?

Answer

The Sikhs were against the division of India, the plan of the grouping of the provinces and a weak centre. They rejected the plan completely because it did not safeguard their interests. Particularly, they felt that their interests would not be safe in the Muslim-dominated Group or Group B where they would be at the mercy of the Muslim League.

When did the Muslim League observe the 'Direct Action Day'?

Answer

The Muslim League observed Direct Action Day on August 16, 1946, throughout India.

Who headed the Interim Government in 1946?

Answer

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru headed the Interim Government in September, 1946.

With what aim did the Muslim League join the Interim Government?

Answer

The Muslim League joined the Interim Government primarily to secure a foothold to fight for their ultimate goal of Pakistan.

Give any two provisions of the Mountbatten Plan.

Answer

Two provisions of the Mountbatten Plan are given below:

1. The country would be divided into two Dominions of India and Pakistan.
2. Referendum was to be held in the province of NWFP so as to ascertain whether the people there wished to stay with the Union of India or Pakistan.

State any two reasons to justify why the Congress accepted the Mountbatten Plan.

Answer

Two reasons why the Congress accepted the Mountbatten Plan are given below:

1. Bitter experience of working with the League in the Interim Government had convinced the Congress leadership that any joint government with the League would be an exercise in futility.
2. India could not afford a Federation with a weak Union Government. A strong and divided India was better than a undivided but weak India with a weak Centre.

Why was the Mountbatten Plan accepted by the Muslim League?

Answer

The Mountbatten Plan was accepted by the Muslim League primarily because it conceded to their long-standing demand for a separate nation, Pakistan.

State two reasons why India was partitioned in 1947.

Answer

Two reasons why India was partitioned in 1947 are given below:

1. The Muslim League under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, strongly demanded a separate nation for Muslims.
2. Efforts like the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) failed due to irreconcilable differences between the Congress and the Muslim League regarding power-sharing and the structure of the future Indian government. The League insisted on partition as the only solution.

Mention one important result of the Indian Independence Act of 1947.

Answer

The Indian Independence Act of 1947 resulted in the partition of British India into two independent dominions: India and Pakistan.

To settle the political tangle in India, the Cabinet Mission was sent to India in 1946. In this context, answer the following :

(a) Reasons for sending the Cabinet Mission to India.

(b) Main provisions of the Cabinet Mission Plan.

(c) Reaction of the Congress and the Muslim League.

Answer

(a) The Cabinet Mission was sent to India in 1946 with the primary goal of discussing and facilitating the transfer of power from British rule to Indian leadership. It aimed to achieve this while preserving India's unity and independence. The mission also sought to establish a framework for a constitution-making body and an interim government.

(b) The main provisions of the Cabinet Mission Plan are given below:

1. There was to be a federation of all the provinces and states of India.
2. The Federal Centre would control only defense, foreign affairs and communication. The provinces would look after other subjects and also control residuary powers.
3. The Union would have a Legislature and its own Executive. The Legislature would pass laws on subjects contained in the Union List. These laws would be enforced by the Union Executive.
4. The provinces would be free to form regional unions to which they would surrender some powers by mutual consent. There were to be three groups of provinces: Group A — United Provinces, Central Provinces, Madras, Bombay, Orissa and Bihar; Group B — Punjab, NWFP (North West Frontier Province) and Sind; Group C — Bengal and Assam.
5. Each group would have a separate Constitution and if a Province opted to walk out of the group after the first general elections, it would have the option to do so.
6. The states would not be under the direct control of the Union and they would themselves decide as to what powers they were to surrender.
7. A Constituent Assembly would be elected to draw up the future Constitution of India. It would consist of 389 members — 292 from the Provinces, 4 from Chief Commissioner's Provinces and 93 from the Indian states.
8. Till the Constitution was ready an Interim Government of all parties would be formed. It would have 14 members.
9. The Union of India would be free to remain in or walk out of the British Commonwealth. The plan was to be totally accepted or rejected.

(c) Reaction of the Congress — The Congress accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan with reservations.

1. It only accepted that part of the scheme which dealt with the Constitution-making.
2. It considered the Constituent Assembly as a sovereign body for drafting the Constitution. It regarded the grouping of the Provinces as optional and not compulsory.
3. The Congress rejected the scheme of Interim Government because of its limited status and powers and also because the Congress was given parity with the Muslim League in the formation of the Provisional Government.

Reaction of the Muslim League — The Muslim League accepted the Cabinet Plan in its entirety on June 6, 1946 because it felt that the grouping of Muslim-majority Provinces in a way meant the formation of Pakistan.

However, when the elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in July 1946, the Congress won 201 seats out of 292 seats which were reserved for the British India. It gained comfortable majority in the Assembly. The Muslim League could secure only 73 seats and felt disappointed. It demanded the establishment of two different Constituent Assemblies. The Muslim League under Jinnah's leadership passed a resolution on July 29, 1946 and rejected the Cabinet Mission Plan.

The Muslim League decided to observe the Direct Action Day on August 16, 1946. In this context, answer the following :

(a) Why did the Muslim League observe the Direct Action Day?

(b) What were its results?

Answer

(a) Jinnah and the Muslim League decided to resort to 'Direct Action' to achieve Pakistan. The Muslim League fixed August 16, 1946 as the day for observing the Direct Action Day throughout India.

(b) Direct Action Day, held on August 16, 1946, resulted in widespread communal riots, particularly in Calcutta, and significantly worsened Hindu-Muslim relations. The violence, instigated by the Muslim League's call for a separate Muslim homeland, led to a large number of deaths and injuries and intensified the demand for the partition of India. It also accelerated the British plan for India's independence and partition.

Using the following points, briefly describe the Mountbatten Plan of June, 1947 :

(a) Main clauses of the Mountbatten Plan.

(b) Why did the Congress and the Muslim League accept this plan?

Answer

(a) The main clauses of the Mountbatten Plan are given below:

1. The country would be divided into two Dominions of India and Pakistan.
2. Referendum was to be held in the province of NWFP so as to ascertain whether the people there wished to stay with the Union of India or Pakistan.
3. The provinces of Assam, Bengal and Punjab were also to be divided.
4. The Princely states would have the option to join either of the two Dominions of India or Pakistan
5. The transfer of power was to be formalised on August 15, 1947.

(b) The Congress accepted the Mountbatten Plan because of the following reasons :

1. The large scale violence and communal riots happening all over India.
2. Bitter experience of working with the League in the Interim Government.
3. India could not afford a Federation with a weak Union Government.
4. A further delaying of Partition would have led to further continuation of the British Rule.
5. Delay in Partition or transfer of power could lead to a civil war throughout India which it could ill afford.

The Muslim League accepted the Mountbatten Plan because it fulfilled their long-standing demand for a separate nation, Pakistan.

India was partitioned in August, 1947. In this context, discuss the following causes of the partition :

(a) Failure of the Interim Government.

(b) The communal riots.

Answer

(a) The Interim Government was formed in September 1946 with leaders from both the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League. The reasons for its failure are given below:

1. The Congress and the League had fundamental ideological differences, which led to constant disputes over policies and functioning.
2. The League, under Muhammad Ali Jinnah, participated in the Interim Government only to obstruct and weaken it. They refused to cooperate on key issues, especially regarding national unity.
3. This lack of cooperation created an atmosphere of mistrust and convinced both the British and Congress leaders that partition might be the only solution.

(b) The Muslim League fixed August 16, 1946 as the day for observing the Direct Action Day throughout India. This day resulted in widespread communal riots, particularly in Calcutta, and significantly worsened Hindu-Muslim relations. The violence, instigated by the Muslim League's call for a separate Muslim homeland, led to a large number of deaths and injuries and intensified the demand for the partition of India. It also accelerated the British plan for India's independence and partition.

The British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act on July 16, 1947. In this context, explain the following points :

(a) Clauses concerning the partition of the country.

(b) Clauses affecting the position of the British King and the Viceroy.

(c) The choice given to the states.

(d) Importance of the Act.

Answer

(a) The clauses concerning the partition of the country in the Indian Independence Act of 1947 are given below:

1. Two independent dominions, namely India and Pakistan, shall be set up on August 15, 1947. Pakistan was to consist of Sindh, Baluchistan, NWFP, the West Punjab and East Bengal. Rest of the territories were to be included in India.
2. The British Government was to have no control over the affairs of the dominions after August 15, 1947 and would transfer all their powers to the Assemblies of India and Pakistan.

(b) The clauses affecting the position of the British King and the Viceroy in the Indian Independence Act of 1947 are given below:

1. The office of the Viceroy was to end forthwith and replaced by a separate Governor-General for each Dominion.
2. The right of the King to veto laws was given up. This right was given to the Governor-General.
3. The titles of 'Emperor of India' and 'King of England' were dropped from the royal style.

(c) The princely states had the choice to join with either of the dominions or to retain their independence.

(d) The Indian Independence Act of 1947 was a great landmark in the Anglo-Indian relations. It was the noblest and the greatest law ever enacted by the British Parliament. It marked the end of the British Rule in India. India became free on August 15, 1947.

With reference to the picture given, answer the following questions :

(a) Identify the Viceroy.

(b) Why was he sent to India?

(c) Name the Plan put forward by him and mention two of its provisions.

Answer

(a) The Viceroy shown in the given picture is Lord Mountbatten.

(b) In March, 1947 Lord Mountbatten became the Viceroy of India. He was a practical man with a realistic approach. He was swift in taking decisions, but was not obstinate. He was sent to India to solve the deadlock between the Congress and the Muslim League, regarding the transfer of power from the British crown to India.

(c) He put forward the Mountbatten Plan on June 3, 1947. Two provisions of the Mountbatten Plan are given below:

1. The country would be divided into two Dominions of India and Pakistan.
2. Referendum was to be held in the province of NWFP so as to ascertain whether the people there wished to stay with the Union of India or Pakistan.