Pakistan Resolution/Lahore Resolution (March 24, 1940)
It was 1930 that Iqbal suggested the
union of the Frontier Province, Baluchistan, Sindh and Kashmir as Muslim state
within the federations. The idealist Chaudhry Rehmat Ali developed this
conception at Cambridge, where he inspired a group of young Muslims and
invented the term ‘Pakstan’ (later ‘Pakistan’) in 1935. The ideology of Iqbal,
the vision of Rehamat Ali, and the fears of Muslims were thus united by the
practical genius of Jinnah to blind Muslim together.The Lahore session of the
Muslim League, held on March 24, 1940, passed Pakistan Resolution and rejected
the Federal scheme an envisaged in the government of India
Act, 1935.
The August Offer (1940)
In order to win the public opinion in
India, Linlithgow put up an offer to get the support of the nationalist in the
World War “II”.
Main Features-
A promise of Dominion Status in an
unspecified future
A post war body to be created to enact
a constitution, however this was to happen only after the approval from the
British Parliament
Immediate expansion in the Viceroy’s
executive council.
Formation of a war advisory council.
Individual Satyagraha
The August offer shocked nationalists,
and the Congress launched the individual Satyagraha. Vinobha Bhave was the
first Satyagrahi while Nehru was second.
The Cripps Mission – 1942:
In Dec. 1941, Japan entered the World
War – II and advanced towards Indian borders. By March 7, 1942, Rangoon fell
and Japan occupied the entire S E Asia.
The British govt. with a view to
getting cooperation from Indians sent Sir Stafford Cripps, leader of the House
of Commons to settle terms with the Indian leaders.
He offered a draft which proposed
dominion status to be granted after the war
Rejected by the Congress as it didn’t
want to rely upon future promises.
Gandhiji termed it as a post dated
cheque in a crashing bank.
Quit India Movement
The causes for the launch of Quit India
Movement were:
The failure of the Cripp’s Mission was
an eye opener for the nationalist.
The news of Allied reverses in World
War and British withdrawal from South-East Asia and Burma leaving local people
at the mercy of Japanese.
Course of Events
Quit India resolution was passed on 8th
August 1942 at Bombay.
The Congress envisaged a “mass struggle
on the non-violent lines on the widest possible scale.
It was made clear that if Congress
leadership gets removed by arrest, “every Indian who desires freedom and
strives for it must be his own guide”.
Gandhi and all the leaders of the
Congress working committee were arrested on the early hours of August 9, 1942.
There was a three month strike in
Ahmedabad, the Stalinguard of India
Usha Metha ran an illegal radio station
Rajgopalacharya and Communists opposed
the Quit India Movement
The three parallel governments were
formed at:
1. Ballia under Chittu Pandey
2. Tamkul- Jatia Sarkar of Satish
Samant
3. Satara- Prati Sarkar under Nana
Patil.
Gandhiji’s Fast (Feb. 10 – March 7, 1943)
Gandhiji undertook a 21-day fast in
jail. His condition deteriorated after 13 days and all hopes of his surviving
were given up.However, as a result his moral strength and spiritual stamina, he
survived and completed the 21-day fast. This was his answer to the government
which had been constantly exhorting him to condemn the violence of the people
in the Quit India Movement.
C.R. Formula (1944)
In 1944, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari
(C.R.) proposed to appoint a commission to separate the district in North-West
and East where Muslims were in majority.In such areas, a voting to be held on
the basis of adult suffrage to decide the issue of separation. They would be
given freedom in case they favoured a sovereign state. In case of acceptance of
partition, agreement to be made jointly for safeguarding defence,
commerce,communications etc.
Muslim League was to endorse Congress
demand for independence and cooperate in formation of provisional government.
Jinnah objected, as he wanted Congress to accept two-nation theory and wanted
only Muslims of the North-West and East of India to vote. Hindu Leaders led by
V.D. Savarkar condemned the plan.
Wavell Plan & Shimla Conference (June 14 – July 14, 1945)
After consultations with the British
Government on the Indian problem, Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India, issued a
statement known as Wavell Plan. The Plan,
which chiefly concerned Viceroy’s
Executive Council, proposed certain changes in the structure of the council.
One of the main proposals was that the Executive Council would be constituted
giving a balanced representation to main communities in it, including equal
representation to Muslims and Hindus. Soon after the Wavell Plan was issued the
members of the Congress Working Committee were released from jails. A
conference of 22 prominent Indian leaders called at Shimla to consider the
Wavell Plan, reached no decision. What scutted the conference was Mr. Jinnah’s
unflinching stand that Muslim approved only by the Muslim League should be
included in the Executive Council. Communalism thus again became a stumbling
block. For the Britishers, however, the dissension between the Congress and the
Muslim League was a source of happiness.
INA Trials
The first trial of INA prisoners took
place at Red Fort.
P.K. Seghal, Shah Nawaz and Gurbaksh
Singh Dhillon were made accused.
The counsels for defense were Bhulabhai
Desai, Tej Bhadur Sapru, K.N. Kataju, J.L. Nehru and Asaf Ali. Even though
the Court Martial held the INA prisoners guilty, the Government felt it
expedient to set them free. The question of guilt was not the issue,
however it was Britain’s right to decide the matter concerning Indians.
The revolt of Royal Indian Navy (RIN)
In Feb. 1946, Bombay Ratings of HMIS
Talwar revolted against British and struck work.
The racial discrimination and bad food
was the immediate cause of the revolt.
B.C Dutta scrawled Quit India on the
ships
The HMIS Hindustan in Karachi also
mutinied.
By the end of February the strike had
spread to naval bases all over the country involving about 20000 ratings.
The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946):
The struggle for freedom entered a
decisive phase in the year 1945–46. The new Labour Party PM.Lord Attlee, made a
declaration on March 15, 1946, that British Cabinet Mission (comprising of Lord
Pethick Lawrence as Chairman, Sir Stafford Cripps and A.V. Alexander) will
visit India.
The mission held talks with the INC and
ML to bring about acceptance of their proposals.
On May 16, 1946, the mission put
towards its proposals. It rejected the demand for separate Pakistan and instead
a federal union consisting of British India and the Princely States was suggested.
Both Congress and Muslims League
accepted it.
Direct Action Campaign (Aug, 16, 1946):
Provoked by the success of the Congress
(in the voting for Constituent Assembly), the Muslim League launched a ‘direct
action’ campaign on Aug. 16, 1946, which resulted in heavy communal riots in
the country.
Interim Government (Sept, 2, 1946):
On Sept. 2, 1946, an interim government
was formed. Congress members led by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru joined it but the
Muslim League did not as it withdrew its earlier acceptance of the Cabinet
Mission Plan.
Formation of Constituent Assembly (Dec.
9, 1946):
This Constituent Assembly met on Dec.
9, 1946, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected its President. The
Muslim League did not join the
Assembly.
Attlee’s Announcement (Feb. 20, 1947): On Feb. 20,
1947, British Prime Minister Attlee announced that the British would withdraw
from India by June 30, 1948 and that Lord Mountbatten would replace Wavell.
Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947):
On June 3, 1947, Lord Mountbatten put forward
his plan which outlined the steps for the solution of India’s political
problem.
The outlines of the Plan were:
India to be divided into India and
Pakistan.
Bengal and Punjab will be partitioned
and a referendum in NEFP and Sylhet district of Assam would be held.
There would be a separate
constitutional assembly for Pakistan to frame its constitution.
The Princely states would enjoy the
liberty to join either India or Pakistan or even remain independent.
Aug.15, 1947 was the date fixed for
handing over power to India and Pakistan.
The British govt. passed the Indian
Independence Act of 1947 in July 1947, which contained the major provisions put
forward by the Mountbatten plan.
Partition and Independence (Aug 1947):
All political parties accepted the
Mountbatten plan.
At the time of independence, there were
562 small and big Princely States in India.
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the first
home minister, used iron hand in this regard.
By August 15, 1947, all the States,
with a few exceptions like Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh had signed the
Instrument of Accession. Goa was with the Portuguese and Pondicherry with
the French.
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