Attlee’s Statement of February 20, 1947: Key Points, Reasons, and Impact | Studento

The Attlee Statement of February 20, 1947 marked a pivotal moment in India’s struggle for independence, highlighting British intentions to transfer power and set the stage for constitutional and political restructuring that deeply impacted students of modern Indian history.

Overview and Implications of Clement Attlee’s Statement on February 20, 1947 for India’s Future

• Clement Attlee, the British Prime Minister, recognizing the mounting challenges in India, delivered a crucial announcement on February 20, 1947.
  • The British House of Commons formally expressed the intention to withdraw from the Indian subcontinent.

• Key Points and Decisions in Attlee’s Statement Regarding Indian Independence

  • Deadline of June 30, 1948 was established for the transfer of power, irrespective of whether Indian leaders had finalized a constitution.
  • The British authorities would cede power either to:
    • (i) Some form of central government
    • (ii) Existing provincial governments if the constituent assembly lacked full representation, especially where Muslim-majority provinces abstained.
  • The British responsibilities toward the princely states would end with the power transfer but would not pass to any successor government in British India.
  • Lord Mountbatten was appointed to succeed Lord Wavell as the Viceroy.
  • The statement implicitly suggested:
    • (i) Possibility of partition
    • (ii) Potential Balkanisation into multiple states
  • This effectively represented a reversal of the Cripps Offer.

• Reasons Behind the British Fixing a Withdrawal Date from India in 1947

  • The British government intended that a set date would:
    • (i) Pressure political factions into reaching an agreement on major constitutional matters
    • (ii) Prevent a growing constitutional crisis
    • (iii) Demonstrate British commitment and sincerity toward Indian self-rule
  • By this time, it was undeniable, as Lord Wavell had observed, that the authority of the British government in India was in irreversible decline.

• Congress and League Responses to Attlee’s Statement and Political Reactions in India

  • The provision for transfer of power to multiple centres was acceptable to Congress because:
    • (i) The existing assembly could draft a constitution for the regions it represented
    • (ii) It provided a practical solution to break the prevailing political deadlock
  • However, the statement ultimately signaled the prelude to the final political showdown.
  • The Muslim League initiated a civil disobedience movement aimed at toppling the coalition government in Punjab, encouraged by the announcement.