Question

On the morning of June 3, 1947, the day the partition was announced, Mahatma Gandhi told Rajendra Prasad, “I can see only evil in the plan”.

1. Identify the Plan that Mahatma Gandhi was referring to? State any three clauses of the Plan.
2. Discuss any four reasons for the acceptance of the plan by major political parties of India.

Answer 1

(a) Mountbatten Plan

The main points of the plan included the following:

1. Partition: The country would be divided into two dominions. India and Pakistan.
2. Relations between the two new dominions: It was for the two dominions to decide what relations they will have with British Commonwealth and with each other.
3. A Boundary Commission: The Plan provided for the creation of a Boundary Commission to settle the boundaries of the two dominions in case partition was decided upon.
4. The Princely States: As regards the princely states, the treaties with them would come to an end. They would be free to associate themselves with either of the dominions or remain independent.
5. Bengal and Punjab: The partition of Bengal and Punjab was proposed provided that the Legislative Assemblies of the two provinces decided in favour of partition.
6. Sindh: The Legislative Assembly of Sindh was to take its own decision at a special meeting.
7. North-West Frontier Province: A plebiscite was to be held in the North-West Frontier Province to ascertain whether the people wanted to join India or Pakistan.
8. The district of Sylhet: The Muslim majority district of Sylhet was to decide by referendum whether it would join East Bengal or remain in Assam.
9. Constituent Assembly: The existing Constituent Assembly would continue to work, but the Constitution framed by it would not apply to Pakistan. A separate Constituent Assembly would be constituted for those parts of India which decided in favour of partition.
10. Transfer of Power: The Plan ended with a declaration that the transfer of power would take place not in June 1948 but much earlier than that. The British Parliament would pass an Act for the transfer of power before August 15, 1947.

(b) Acceptance of Mountbatten Plan

1. Large-scale communal riots.
2. Experience of working with League in the Interim Government convinced the Congress that it could not have a joint administration.
3. A smaller India with a strong centre was better than a big state with a weak centre.
4. The British were instigating the rulers of the Princely States.
5. The leaders were afraid of a Civil War if the British rule continued.
6. The Constitution will be rid of separate electorates and other undemocratic procedures if British leave India.