The Cabinet Mission 1946: British Negotiations, Main Points, Reactions of Congress and Muslim League | Studento

The Cabinet Mission: Announcement of Cabinet Mission in India (1946)

• In February 1946, the Attlee government decided to send a high-powered mission of three British cabinet members—Pethick Lawrence, Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander—to India to negotiate a peaceful transfer of power.
• Pethick Lawrence was the Secretary of State for India and chaired the mission.

Why British Withdrawal Seemed Imminent in India

• The success of nationalist forces was evident by the end of the War, with nationalism penetrating previously untouched areas.
• The bureaucracy and loyalist sections showed a shift towards nationalism, ending British domination in the Indian Civil Service (ICS).
• The long war had caused weariness and economic worries, leaving behind a depleted and war-weary bureaucracy.
• The British strategy of conciliation and repression had its limitations, exposing the government’s naked force or inability to wield authority.
• The constitutionalism or Congress Raj boosted morale and deepened patriotic sentiments among the masses.
• Demands of leniency for INA prisoners and the revolt of the RIN ratings raised fears about the reliability of the armed forces in case of a mass movement.
• The government realized the need for a settlement to prevent a mass movement and ensure good future Indo-British relations.

Cabinet Mission Plan—Main Points for India's Future

• Rejection of the demand for a full-fledged Pakistan due to several reasons, including a large non-Muslim population and the dangers of dividing the armed forces.
• Grouping of provincial assemblies into three sections: Section-A (Hindu-majority provinces), Section-B (Muslim-majority provinces), and Section-C (Bengal and Assam).
• A three-tier executive and legislature at provincial, section, and union levels.
• A common center to control defense, communication, and external affairs, with a federal structure envisioned for India.
• Provinces were to have full autonomy and residual powers.
• Princely states were no longer under the paramountcy of the British government.
• After the first general elections, a province was free to leave a group, and after ten years, reconsider the group or union constitution.
• An interim government was to be formed from the constituent assembly.

Acceptance and Rejection of the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)

• The Muslim League accepted the plan on June 6, 1946, and the Congress on June 24, 1946.
• However, on July 10, 1946, Nehru stated that the Constituent Assembly was sovereign and not bound by the plan’s provisions.
• This led the Muslim League to withdraw its acceptance on July 29, 1946, and call for direct action to achieve Pakistan.