Various missions and main proposals-Modern History

In the 1940s, the British government made several attempts to negotiate with Indian leaders to grant India independence. Some of these attempts included the Cripps Mission, the August Offer, the Wavell Plan, and the Cabinet Mission. In this blog, we will take a closer look at each of these proposals and their main objectives.

(1940) August Offer

In August 1940, Lord Linlithgow, the Viceroy of India, made the August Offer, which promised to establish an advisory war council, expand the Viceroy Executive Council to include more Indians, and set up a representative Indian body to draft the Constitution of India. The main proposals of the August Offer were that the British government proposed dominion status as an objective for India, and following the war, a representative Indian body would be formed to draft a constitution for the country.

(1942) Cripps Mission

The Cripps Mission came to India in 1942 for several reasons. Firstly, the British suffered setbacks in South-East Asia, which resulted in India facing a Japanese invasion. Secondly, the British allies, namely the United States, the Soviet Union, and China, forced Britain to obtain Indian cooperation for the war. Finally, India agreed to support Britain in the war in exchange for complete independence from Britain soon after the war. The main proposals of the Cripps Mission were the formation of an Indian union with Dominion status, free to choose its relations with the Commonwealth and international organizations such as the United Nations, with the Indian defense sector under British control, and the governor-general's powers preserved. A constituent assembly was formed to draft a new constitution, partly elected by provincial assemblies and partly nominated by the Princes. The British government would accept the new constitution under two conditions: any province unwilling to join the Union could have its own constitution and form its own Union, and the new constitution-making body and the British government would negotiate a treaty to effect the transfer of power and to protect racial and religious minorities.

(1945) Wavell Plan 

In 1945, the Wavell Plan was introduced at the Shimla Conference. It was titled after Lord Wavell, Viceroy of India. The Shimla Conference was held to reach an agreement on the Wavell Plan for Indian self-government, which called for separate representation on communal lines. The proposals of the Wavell Plan were that all members of the executive council, with the exception of the governor-general and the commander-in-chief, were to be Indians, and Caste Hindus and Muslims were to be represented equally. The reconstructed council was to function as an interim government within the framework of the 1935 Act (i.e., not accountable to the Central Assembly). The governor-general was to exercise his veto on ministerial advice, and representatives from various parties were to submit a joint list to the viceroy for nominations to the executive council. If a joint list was not possible, separate lists were to be submitted, with the possibility of negotiations on a new constitution being kept open once the war was won. The Scheduled Castes would also be represented separately, and the possibility of a new constitution would be discussed.

(1946) Cabinet Mission:

The Cabinet Mission was a high-powered mission sent to India by the Atlee government in February 1946. The mission included three British cabinet members: Pethick Lawrence, Secretary of State for India; Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade; and A.V. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty. The main proposal of the Cabinet Mission was the rejection of the demand for a full-fledged Pakistan. Instead, provincial assemblies were to elect a constituent assembly through proportional representation. However, the Muslim League rejected this proposal and insisted on the creation of a separate Muslim state.

Conclusion: 

The Cripps Mission, August Offer, Wavell Plan, and Cabinet Mission were all important attempts by the British government to negotiate with Indian leaders and grant India independence. Although some of these proposals were rejected or did not fully meet the demands of Indian leaders, they laid the groundwork for the eventual transfer of power to India.