Independence & Partition of

India

BY: Shashank
Grade:10
 Introduction
• World War II ended in 1945, Indian Freedom Movement entered a new phase.
•  Memories of the suppression during the Quit India and unfortunate end of INA
were still fresh.
• Muslim League was in no mood to compromise and had demanded for Pakistan. 
• Wavell proposed some changes and also released the leaders arrested during the
Quit India and proposed Wavell Plan. 
• But, it was opposed by Congress (as it didn’t promise total independence) and
Muslim League (as it didn’t promise Pakistan)
 Events that led to the Cabinet Mission
1) Changes in Britain:
• Both the Power Blocs- USA and Soviet Union promoted
Independence of India.
• World War, had made economic and military powers of Britain weak.
• Government in Britain changed
• The British soldiers were weary of the War.
2. Revolts in the Administrative Agencies

o Government could not depend on Indians for administration as

they had the feeling of Nationalism entered in them. 

o There was a revolt of the Indian Naval ratings at Mumbai in

February 1946.

o There were strikes in the Royal Indian Air Force.

o Police and Civil Service declared that its no longer safe.

3. Mood of the Indian People

 Indians were in a confident and determined mood.

 They would no longer tolerate any humiliation of foreign rule.

 Everyone demanded Freedom. They would not rest until they got
freedom.

 In addition to the Naval Munity and the struggle for the release of the
INA prisoners, I 1945-1946 there was numerous agitation, strikes,
hartals and demonstrations all over the country, even in many
Princely states such as Hyderabad, Travancore, and Kashmir.
4. Labour Unrest :
→ In July 1946, there was All India strike by the Postal and Telegraph
workers.

→ Railway workers in south India went on strike in august 1946.

→ Peasant movements acquired a fresh thrust after 1945.

→ The most militant of the post war struggles was the Tebhaga struggle by the
share croppers of Bengal who declared that they would pay not one half but
one third to the crop to the landlord .

→ Struggles for the land and against high rents took place in Hyderabad,
Malabar, Bengal, U.P.,bihar and Maharashtra.
 Cabinet Mission in India
• On Feb 19, 1946, Clement Attlee- the new British PM declared that Cabinet Mission
would be sent to India to facilitate the process of transfer of power.
• The Missions aim would also be to help the Indian leaders decide the form of
government that would suit them after the transfer of power.
• Cabinet Mission arrived in India in March 1946. It consisted of three cabinet members:
• a) Pethic Lawrence
• b) Sir Stafford Cripps
• c) A.V.Alexander
Clauses of the Cabinet Mission Plan
• 1. Federal Union
• 2. Powers of the Union
• 3. Provincial Autonomy
• 4. Grouping of Provinces
• 5. Formation of Constituent Assembly
• 6. Representation of Minorities
• 7. Formation of an Interim Government
• 8. Freedom to join the Commonwealth
• 9. Transfer of Power
1. Federal Union: 
• There would be a Federal Union of the British Provinces
and Princely States.

• Union Government should deal with Foreign Affairs,

Defense, Communication & Finance. 

2. Powers of the Union:

• The Union would have its own Executive and Legislature composed of
members elected by all Provinces.
3. Provincial Autonomy:
• Provinces would enjoy full Autonomy except for the Union subjects

4. Grouping of Provinces:

• The British Provinces would be divided into groups:

•  Group A: Six Hindu Majority Provinces like Madras, Bombay, Bihar, Orissa. 

• Group B: Three Muslim Provinces- Punjab, NWFP (North West Frontier Province) and Sind. 

• Group C: Bengal, Assam.

5. Formation of Constituent Assembly:
• 389 Members would form the Constituent Assembly (296 Members of British
Provinces and 93 from Princely States. 

6. Representation of Minorities: 
• Separate representation was to given to Muslims and Sikhs.

7. Formation of an Interim Government: 

• An interim government at the Centre would be formed with 14 members.
8. Freedom to join the Commonwealth:
India would have a choice to join or not to join The British Commonwealth.

9. Transfer of power:
It would be necessary to work out a treaty between the Constituent Assembly
and the United Kingdom for matters arising out of the transfer of power.
 Rejection of the Demand for Pakistan
• The establishment of Pakistan would not solve the problem of communal minorities because the
number of Muslims in the remaining part of British India and the number of non-Muslims in
Pakistan would be sizebal.
• There was no justification for the including within Pakistan, non-Muslims districts of Bengal,
Assam and the Punjab.
• The armed forces, transportation a well as the postal and telegraph system had been built for India
as a whole and the partition would create many problems.
• The Princely states would find it difficult to decide which Union to join.
• The two halves of the proposed Pakistan state would be separate by some seven hundred miles and
interaction between them would be difficult.
 Reaction to the Cabinet Mission Plan
The Congress:
• Congress accepted the proposals reservations.
• It accepted only that part of the scheme which dealt with
Constitution making.
• It considered the Constituent Assembly as a sovereign body for drafting the Constitution.
• It proposed that Grouping of provinces should be made optional and not compulsory.
• Congress rejected the formation of Interim Government because it gave parity (equality)
to Muslim league at par with Congress.
Muslim league:
Muslim League accepted the plan
in 1946 entirely as it saw Grouping
of Muslim majority Provinces in
in a way meant the the
formation of Pakistan. The League
asked Wavell, the Viceroy, to
constitute an Interim
Government.
 Conflict Between Congress And Click icon to add picture

Muslim League
►Elections to the constituent assembly were held in
July 1946, in which the Congress obtained two-
third majority. The rest went to other parties. The
Congress had an overwhelming majority in the
Constituent Assembly. The League feared that it
would be out-voted in the Assembly. It also feared
that the British withdrawal from India would mean
transfer of power To Hindus, who were in a
majority in India.
► On 2nd September 1946, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his colleagues were sworn in
a members of the Viceroys Executive Council. The Muslim league kept out of the
government.

► The League observed September 2 as a Mourning Day, Muslims display black

flags.

► Though Jinnah refused due to Viceroy negotiations League Decided to join as

Minority community but they were not ready to work under Nehru’s Leadership.

► Finally they met on December 9, 1946 in New Delhi without the participation of
the league Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as a Present and Assembly's resolve to
make India an Independent Sovereign Republic.
 ATTLEE’S ANNOUNCEMENT

Clement Attlee, the Prime Minister of the United

Kingdom, announced on 20 February 1947 that:
The British Government would grant full self-
government to British India by 30 June 1948 at the
latest, The future of the Princely States would be
decided after the date of final transfer is decided.
 LORD MOUNTBATTEN & HIS PLAN
 Since, Lord Wavell failed in the Cabinet Mission Plan so he was recalled and Lord Mountbatten
was appointed as new Viceroy in 1947.
 His immediate task was to restore peace between INC and Muslim League.
 He found that the task is difficult and decided to speed up the transfer of power without any delay.
 He presented his plan- The Mountbatten Plan before the seven leaders- Nehru, Patel, Kripalani,
Jinnah, Liaquat, Nishtar and Baldev Singh.
 INC and Muslim league accepted the plan and was announced on June 3,1947.

 Gandhi once again reminded not to go for Partition as it may cause harm to the country.
KEY POINTS OF MOUNTBATTEN PLAN ; -
1. Partition: Country would be divided into two Dominions, India & Pakistan.

2. Relations between two new Dominions: Two dominions would decide what kind of relations
they wish to keep with the British Commonwealth and with each other.

3. Boundary Commission: Boundary Commission would be setup and it would settle the
boundaries of the two Dominions.

4. Princely States: All the treaties with the Princely States would come to an end. They would be
free to join any Dominion or to remain Independent.

5. Bengal & Punjab: Partition of Bengal and Punjab was proposed, provided the Constituent
Assemblies
6. Sindh: Sindh was given a choice to take its own decision, either to join India or Pakistan.

7. NWFP: North West Frontier Province was given a choice to take its own decision, either
to join India or Pakistan.

8. District of Sylhet: The Muslim Majority was given a choice to take its own decision,
either to remain in Assam or to join East Bengal.

9. Constituent Assembly: The existing Constituent Assembly would continue to work, but
Pakistan would have its own Constituent Assembly and Pakistan would frame its own
Constitution.

10. Transfer of Power: Transfer of Power would take place earlier i.e. on August 1947
instead of June 1948. British would pass an Act before the Transfer of Power on 15th
August 1947.
ACCEPTANCE OF LORD MOUNTBATTEN PLAN
♦ Public expressed mixed feelings.

♦ Nationalists criticized partition.INC has no other alternative so accepted the plan.

♦ Muslim league wasn’t happy with the way Pakistan was divided but still accepted it.
Reasons of acceptance of the plan
1. Large scale communal riots convinced all that Partition is the only solution. Sardar Patel said India
would be divided into smaller Pakistan's if we refuse the partition.

2. Muslim League had joined interim government. INC had realized that it cant work/jointly
administer with Muslim League.

3. Leaders realized that if Partition was further delayed then India may head towards a Civil War.

4. British were trying to suggest the rulers of Indian states to remain independent. And continuation
of British rule would mean a greater calamity. So partition was the price for immediate
independence.

5. A smaller India with a Stronger Central Authority was better than a Bigger India with Weaker
Central Authority. There was no alternative.

6. Leaders felt that partition would keep away undemocratic procedures and constitution of separate
electorates from India. And then India can evolve as a truly secular and democratic state.
 THE INDIA INDEPENDENCE ACT, 1947

• After the acceptance of the

Mountbatten Plan by all the
Indian leaders then British
PM introduced the Indian
Independence Bill in the
British Parliament and it was
passed by both the British
Houses on July 1, 1947.
 The main Provisions of the Indian Independence Act 1947 were as follows:

1. Two New Dominions: India would be

partitioned into two independent Dominions,
India and Pakistan and it would be created
from August 15, 1947. the Act provided
legislative supremacy of both the Dominions.
The territories of the two Dominions were
divided in such terms that Pakistan would
comprise Sindh, British Baluchistan, North
West Frontier Province, the West Punjab and
East Bengal. India was to comprise all the
remaining territories included in the British
India. The exact boundaries of the Dominions
would determined by a Boundary
Commission.
2. Provisions of Partition:

• Bengal and Punjab would be divided if desired by

its people.

• Through Plebiscite (Voting) people of NWFP and

Sylhet would decide whether to join India or
Pakistan. Later they joined West and East
Pakistan

3. Governor – General for Each Dominion:

The British King would appoint a Governor General on the advice of the cabinet of the concerned Dominion
which would work till the framing of the Constitution.
4.Constituent Assemblies to serve as Central Legislatures: The
Constituent Assemblies of both the dominions were to act as the
Central Legislatures and have full powers to make laws for their
respective Dominion. They would act as sovereign bodies for
legislative purposes.

5. End of Jurisdiction of the British Parliament:

1. From 15th August 1947 control of British parliament would

end. 
2. The titles ‘Emperor of India’ and ‘King of England’ were
dropped royal style.
3. Till separate new constitutions are framed country would be governed as per Act of 1935.

4. Governor-General would have the powers to modify or adopt Government of India Act 1935 by March 31,
1948

5.  The Right of king to veto laws would be given up. This Right was given to the Governor-General
6. Princely states: it would become independent and all the powers exercised by the British authority
were to be terminate. All treaties and agreements made by the British with reference to States would
lapse from August 15, 1947. they would be free to associate themselves with either Dominion or to
remain independent.
7. Treaties and Agreements: with effect from August 15, 1947, His Majesty’s Government would cease
to have any responsibilities for the Government of India. All treaties and agreements between the
British government and the rulers of the Indian states or any authority in tribal areas would lapse.
Agreements with the tribes of the North west Frontier Province were to be negotiated by the Dominion
concerned.
8. Division of the Army and the Assets: Provisions were made for the division of the Indian Army
between the two Dominions and steps were to be taken to share the assets and liabilities between the
Two Dominions.
9.Bringing the Act into Operations: the Governor-General was vested with necessary powers for
bringing the Indian independence into effective operations.
10. Office of Secretary of State and Interest of Existing Officers : Provisions were made for
safeguarding the interests of the existing officers appointed by the Secretary of State. The office of the
Secretary of State for India was abolished.
INDEPENDENCE BY AN ACT OF
LEGISLATION
• Referring to the Indian Independence Act(1947), the
then Secretary of State for India remarked, “The bill is
unique in the history of legislation of this country. Never
before has such a large portion of the world population
achieved complete independence through legislation”.
• The Act marked the end of the British rule in India. The
Dominions of India and Pakistan came into existence on
august 15, 1947. lord Mountbatten on the request of
Nehru continued as the Governor-General of India.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the Governor-General of
Pakistan.
 On 14 august 1947, on the eve of
India’s independence, Jawaharlal
Nehru made a memorable speech
in the Constituent Assembly. He
said:

“long years ago we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes, when we shall redeem our pledge, not
wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India
will awake to life and freedom… It is the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the
still large cause of humanity.”
 Lord Mountbatten remained in office as Governor-General up to June 1948.

 C. Rajagopalchari succeeded him as the first and last Indian Governor-General. India
became a Republic on January 26, 1950.

 Dr. Rajendra Prasad took over as the first President of Indian Republic and the
Constituent Assembly became the Parliament of India under the transitional
provisions of the new Constitution.
 DAWN OF FREEDOM
 Thus, ended India’s unique struggle for freedom, which set an example for
the other colonial countries of Asia and Africa to follow. This was followed
by tragic and bloody partition of the country, causing far more grave
problems of the national reconstruction. On the eve of independence, Indian
agriculture was backward and stagnant, her industrial development was low
and lopsided.
 There was a near-complete absence for capital goods and machines industries. It was the vision and
foresight of our national leaders, especially our first Prime minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, which
pulled out India from the web of poverty and economic backwardness and laid the strong foundations
on which India today proudly stands. It is one of the major industrialized nations of the world.
 It is also one of the largest as well as one of the fastest growing economies of the world. Above all, it
is the largest democracy in the world, committed to peace, disarmament and non-alignment.