Government of India Act 1935:

In the light of Communal Award the British government framed a constitutional

bill and got it passed by the Parliament in February 1935. The Act titled the
Government of India Act had two parts. The most important thing about the Act
was that it had a federal character. Indian provinces were given a reasonable
amount of autonomy. The Act came into force in April 1937.
Elections (1937):
The elections of 1937 were held with the restricted franchise and separate
electorate. The Congress projected itself as an all-India force representing all
religions and factions of the society. The Muslim League contested for the Muslim
seats. There was a tough competition from the other Muslim organizations. The
elections were completed in February 1937. The Congress got majorities in five
provinces, Madras, U.P., C.P., Bihar, and Orissa. It emerged as the largest
party in Bombay and won 704 out of 1585 general seats.The Muslim League
performed poorly in the elections and got only about 21 percent of Muslim
seats without winning majority anywhere, Bengal, Punjab, NWFP, and Sind. It was
mostly due to the organizational problems and opposition by local Muslim groups.

Formation of Provincial Governments:

In July 1937, Congress formed governments in 6 provinces. In NWFP, Khudai

Khidmatgar and
Congress formed a coalition government. In the Muslim majority provinces, the
Muslim League
could not form the governments. The Muslim League desired to be in government
in the U.P. but
the Congress consented to a conditional support:
1. Dissolve AIML Parliamentary Board
2. AIML members not to function as a separate group
3. AIML members to express allegiance to the Congress
Definitely the above-mentioned terms were a device to subvert the existence of the
Muslim
League. Therefore, no agreement was possible on this issue.
Congress Raj (1937-1939):
The Congress ruled badly. The period was marked with political corruption and
high handedness of the party over the government. Muslim students were offered
no opportunity to learn about their own history, culture and religion. Muslims said
it was a well calculated and pre planned conspiracy meant to destroy their national
identity. In addition to all this, at certain places oppressive measures were adopted
against large Muslim communities.

Second World War (1939-1945):

Second World was started from 1939 and lasted till 1945.It involved nations,
including all of the powers, eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the
Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, with more than 100
million people, from over 30 different countries, serving in military units. Britain
also took part in Second World War.
Resignation of Congress Ministries (1939):

Viceroy declared India at war with Germany on September 3, 1939. The Congress
objected strongly to the declaration of war without prior consultation with Indians.
The Congress Working Committee suggested that it would cooperate if there were
a central Indian national government formed, and a commitment made to India's
independence after the war.
Viceroy refused the demands of the Congress. On October 22nd 1939, it called
upon all Congress ministries to tender their resignations. Both Viceroy and
Muhammad Ali Jinnah were pleased with the resignations. On December 2, 1939,
Jinnah put out an appeal, calling for Indian Muslims to celebrate December 22,
1939 as a "Day of Deliverance" from Congress.

The Lahore Resolution (1940):

The Muslim League held its annual session at Lahore on 22-24 March 1940. The
Lahore Resolution was moved by Maulvi Fazlul Haq and seconded by Ch.
Khaliquzzaman that finally approved on March 24, 1940. Jinnah rightly expressed
his valuable remarks about the political circumstances of India and the Muslims
stand. He said: “Indian problem is not communal but international. No Constitution
can work without recognizing this reality. Muslims of India will not accept a
constitution that establishes a government of the Hindu majority on them. If Hindus
and Muslims are placed under one democratic system, this would mean Hindu
Raj.”
Later Developments:
The World War II started in 1939 that required heavily men powered battlefield.
The British who always believe in bargaining announced an offer in August 1940
with following main poits:

1. Expansion of the Viceroy’s Executive Coucil and the setting up of National

Defence Council
2. Special importance to the views of minorities in the revision of the constitution.
3. Power could not be transferred under a system that will not be acceptable to large
and powerful minorities in India.
4. Dominion Status: the ultimate goal
5. Cooperation of Indians for the war
Congress rejected it and started Non-Cooperation movement 1940-41. Lahore
Resolution remained the ultimate goal for the Muslim Leagues.

The Cripps Proposals (1942):

The Cripps mission was an attempt in late March 1942 by the British government
to secure full Indian cooperation and support for their efforts in World War II. The
mission was headed by Sir Stafford Cripps. Cripps was sent to negotiate an
agreement with the nationalist leaders Gandhi speaking for the Hindus and
Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the Muslims, that would keep India loyal to the British
war effort in exchange for a promise of full self-government after the war. Cripps
discussed the proposals with the Indian leaders and published them. Both the major
parties, the Congress and the League rejected his proposals and the mission proved
a failure.
QUIT INDIA Movement (1942):
QUIT INDIA movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in
August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for independence. The
Congress Committee proclaimed a mass protest demanding what Gandhi called "an
orderly British withdrawal" from India.The British were prepared to act. Almost the
entire Congress leadership, and not just at the national level, was imprisoned
without trial within hours after Gandhi's speech—at least 60,000 people. Most
spent the rest of the war in prison and out of contact with the masses. The British
had the support of the Viceroy's Council (which had a majority of Indians), of the
Muslims, the Communist Party, the princely states, the Imperial and state police,
the Indian Army, and the Indian Civil Service. The British refused to grant
immediate independence, saying it could happen only after the war ended.
QUIT INDIA movement failed because of heavy-handed suppression, weak
coordination and the lack of a clear-cut program of action. However, the British
government realized that India was ungovernable in the long run.
Jinnah/Ghandhi Talks (1944):
The Gandhi-Jinnah talks began in Bombay on September 19, 1944, and lasted till
the 24th of the month. The talks were held directly and via correspondence. On July
17, 1944, Gandhi wrote a letter to Quaid-e-Azam in which he expressed his desire
to meet him and hold talks with him on the question of Muslim demands and the
future political system which was to be established in India after impending British
departure. Unfortunately these negotiations ended without agreement. Jinnah failed
to convince Ghandi that Muslims were a separate nation and that the Muslim
demand for separate homeland was based on “the right of self-determination as a
nation and not as a territorial unit” .Ghandi insisted that the Muslim League should
join hands with the Congress unconditionally in its struggle for independence
against British. Jinnah argued that the problem of Muslims independent homeland
should be decided before British leave India. Jinnah Ghandi talks ended in failure.
The Wavell Plan and Simla Conference (1945):
The Simla Conference was a 1945 meeting between Viceroy Wavell and the major
political leaders of India at Simla. Convened to agree on and approve the Wavell
Plan for Indian self-government, it reached a potential agreement for the self-rule of
India that provided separate representation to Muslims and reduced majority
powers for both communities in their majority regions.
Quaid-i-Azam represented Muslim League and Congress nominated Maulana Abul
Kalam Azad as its representative. The objective of sending Maulana Azad was to
give the message to the world that Congress also represented the Muslims. Talks
stalled, however, on the issue of selection of Muslim representatives. Seeking to
assert itself and its claim to be the sole representative of Indian Muslims, Muslim
League and its leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah refused to back any plan in which the
Indian National Congress, the dominant party in the talks, appointed Muslim
representatives. This scuttled the conference, and perhaps the last viable
opportunity for a united, independent India. Thus Wavell plan and Simla
Conference broke in failure.
Elections (1946):
The ML’s stand was very clear i.e. the ML is a sole representative of Muslims and
Pakistan is its ultimate goal. The ML launched the massive campaign for these
destinations. The Islamic slogans became massively popular. In this way, the
struggle for the establishment of Pakistan was motivated on the basis of Islam. The
role of students was also prominent during the political drive. On the other hand,
the Congress put the slogan of independence from British in the shape
of undivided India before the Hindu nation. They proclaimed that their stand was
for all the Indian communities.
In December 1945 the elections of Central Legislature were held and the ML won
all 30 Muslim seats. The Congress won 57 seats.

Provincial Elections: February 1946:

In the provincial elections, the ML won most of the Muslim seats:

1. Punjab: 79 out of 86 Muslim seats
2. Bengal 113 out of 119 Muslim seats
3. Sindh 28 out of 35 Muslim seats
4. NWFP 17 out of 38 Muslim seats
The ML also showed an impressive performance in the Muslim minority provinces.
The ML formed its ministry in Sind, Khudai Khidmatgar (Dr. Khan) in NWFP,
coalition government by ML in Bengal, and Unionist (20), Akalis and the Congress
in Punjab (Khizr Hayat Tiwana).
The Cabinet Mission (1946):
In March 1946, the British government sent three senior members of the British
Cabinet as a last attempt to preserve the unity of Indian federation.The Mission was
entrusted with the difficult task of bringing about reconciliation between the
Congress and Muslim League. Members of the Mission discussed matters with high
ranking Congress and Muslim Leaders.
Offers made by the Mission members to the leaders of the two majority parties
were turned down one after the other. In May 1946, the Cabinet Mission announced
its plan with the assertion that the proposals were final and could not be amended
or negotiated upon. The two major Indian political parties were free to accept or
reject the Plan as a whole.
The Third June Plan (1947):
The British Parliament made a statement in the Parliament declaring that India will
be given independence by 20th February 1948.Viceroy Wavell was replaced with
Mountbatten. The new viceroy landed on Indian soil on March 22nd 1947. He was
entrusted with a mission to make a peaceful transfer of power from the British to
the Indian hands. A plan was finalized in the Governor’s Conference in April 1947,
and was then sent to Britain in May where the British Government approved it
Mountbatten came back from London on May 31, and on June 2 met seven Indian
leaders. These were Nehru, Patel, Kriplalani, Quaid-e-Azam, Liaquat, Nishtar and
Baldev Singh. After these leaders approved the plan, Mountbatten discussed it with
Gandhi and convinced him that it was the best plan under the circumstances. The
plan was made public on June 3, and is thus known as the June 3rd Plan.
The following were the main clauses of this Plan:
• The British will not impose a constitution but the Constituent Assembly will
frame a constitution.
• The constitution will not be imposed on the areas that do not accept it. Opinion
will be
• sought from them if they want to set up a separate CA (Constituent Assembly).
• Punjab & Bengal Assemblies will meet in two parts, members from Muslim
majority
• areas and other districts separately to decide if the province be partitioned.
• If any part decides for partition, each group will decide which CA they wish to
join.
• Sind Assembly will decide about joining either side.
• Referendum in NWFP
• Balochistan: appropriate method
• Boundary Commission for Punjab and Bengal
• Princely states to decide for themselves keeping in view their geographical
contiguity.

Indian Independence Act (1947):

The British government passed the Indian Independence Act on July 15th 1947.
The Act reaffirmed the principles envisaged in the Third June Plan. Mountbatten
appointed a Boundary Commission headed by Cyril Radcliff for demarcation of
boundaries in the Punjab and Bengal. The Boundary Award was completed and
submitted to the Viceroy on 10th August and announced on 17th August ,three days
after the creation of Pakistan. Lord Mountbatten made substantial changes to the
Award and deprived Pakistan of certain Muslim majority areas in the provinces of
Punjab and Bengal
Formation of Pakistan (14th August 1947):
Bengal and the Punjab assemblies voted for the partition of their respective
provinces. Sindh Assembly and Balochistan Jirga decided to opt for Pakistan. A
referendum was held in the North West Frontier Province from 6th to 17th of July.
Majority of the voters were reported to have voted in favor of Pakistan.
Mountbatten flew to Karchi to transfer power to the newly created state of Pakistan
on 14th August 1947. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was sworn in as the
first Governor General of Pakistan. Liaquat Ali Khan took over as the first Prime
Minister. Territory of the state of Pakistan was divided into two parts. These two
parts known as East Pakistan and West Pakistan, were separated from each other by
nearly one thousand kilometers of Indian Land.