General Awareness Indian National Movement (III) Quit India Movement, Partition to Independence
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Quit India Movement (1942)

`color{purple}ul{"Quit India Movement "(1942)}`

The Quit India Movement, also called the August Movement, launched on 8th August, 1942. It was a result of Gandhi's protest against the return of Sir Stafford Cripps. He wanted to negotiate with the British government for the independence of India through this movement. He gave slogan - 'Do or Die'. On 9th August, the leaders of the Congress like Abul Kalam Azad, Vallabhbhai Patel, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were arrested. The movement can be divided into four phases:

`color{green} ✍️` In the first phase of the Quit India Movement, there were processions, strikes, and demonstrations.

`color{green} ✍️` The second phase of the movement saw raids on the government buildings and municipal houses. Along with this, post offices, railway stations, and police stations were set on fire.

`color{green} ✍️` The third phase of Quit India movement began in September 1942. Mobs bombed police in places like Bombay, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

`color{green} ✍️` Gradually, the movement gained back its peaceful form and continued till Mahatma Gandhi was released on May, 1944. This was the fourth phase of the movement.

Demand for Pakistan

`color{green}ul{"Demand for Pakistan"}`

In 1940 the All-India Muslim League orchestrated the demand for independent Muslim states in India. Seven years later Pakistan was created amidst a communal holocaust of unprecedented proportions. Concentrating on the All-India Muslim League and its leader, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, The Sole Spokesman assesses the role of religious communalism and provincialism in shaping the movement for Pakistan.

`color{green} ✍️` In 1930, Iqbal suggested that the North-West provinces and Kashmir should be made Muslim states within the federation.

`color{green} ✍️` Chaudhary Rehmat Ali gave the term Pakistan in 1933.

`color{green} ✍️` Muslim League first passed the proposal of separate Pakistan in its Lahore Session in 1940 (called Jinnah's Two-Nation Theory). It was drafted by Sikandar Hayat Khan.

`color{green} ✍️` In December 1943, the Karachi Session of the Muslim League adopted the slogan Divide and Quit.

Shimla Conference or the Wavell Plan

`color{purple}ul{"Shimla Conference or the Wavell Plan "(1945)}`

`color{green} ✍️` In May 1945, Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India, went to London and discussed his ideas about the future of India with the British administration. The talks resulted in the formulation of a plan of action that was made public in June 1945. The plan is known as Wavell Plan.

`color{green} ✍️` The Plan suggested reconstitution of the Viceroy’s Executive Council in which the Viceroy was to select persons nominated by the political parties. Different communities were also to get their due share in the Council and parity was reserved for Cast-Hindus and Muslims. While declaring the plan, the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs made it clear that the British Government wanted to listen to the ideas of all major Indian communities. Yet he said that it was only possible if the leadership of the leading Indian political parties agreed with the suggestions of the British Government.

`color{green} ✍️` To discuss these proposals with the leadership of major Indian parties, Wavell called for a conference at Simla on June 25, 1945. Leaders of both the Congress and the Muslim League attended the conference, which is known as the Simla Conference. However, differences arose between the leadership of the two parties on the issue of representation of the Muslim community. The Muslim League claimed that it was the only representative party of the Muslims in India and thus all the Muslim representatives in the Viceroy’s Executive Council should be the nominees of the party. Congress, which had sent Maulana Azad as the leader of their delegation, tried to prove that their party represented all the communities living in India and thus should be allowed to nominate Muslim representative as well. Congress also opposed the idea of parity between the Cast-Hindus and the Muslims. All this resulted in a deadlock. Finally, Wavell announced the failure of his efforts on July 14. Thus the Simla Conference couldn’t provide any hope of proceeding further.



The Cabinet Mission

`color{purple}ul{"The Cabinet Mission "(1946)}`

`color{green} ✍️` The Attlee Government announced in February 1946, the decision to send a high powered mission of three British Cabinet members (Patrick Lawrence, Secretary of State for India, Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade, and Alexander, first lord of Admiralty).

`color{green} ✍️` The Congress demanded that power should be transferred to one Centre, and that minorities demands should be worked out in a framework ranging from autonomy to Muslim-majority province to self determination or secession.

`color{green} ✍️` Main proposals
1. Rejection of demand for a full fledged Pakistan.
2. Loose union under a Centre with Centre's control over defence and foreign affairs.
3. Provinces were to haw full autonomy and residual powers.
4. Provincial legislatures would elect a Constituent Assembly.

Interim Governments

`color{purple}ul{"Interim Governments "(1946)}`

The interim government of India was formed on September 2, 1946 from the newly elected Constituent Assembly. 69 per cent seats were allocated to INC and the party had a majority in 8 out of 11 Indian provinces. The members of the interim government also include the Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief of Britain and other members from All-India Muslim League. The government was formed to assist the switch of British India to India and Pakistan. The government also drafted the Constitution of India and led India post-Independence.

Jawaharlal Nehru, as a Vice President played a similar role of a Prime Minister (PM) until Independence. After the Independence of India, the Nehru and his government further concentrated on challenging and formulating the constitution and maintain diplomatic relations with other countries.

`color{green} ✍️` Interim Government headed by Jawaharlal Nehru was sworn on 2nd September, 1946. The Muslim League refused to join initially. Wavell persuaded the League to join in October, 1946.

`color{green} ✍️` The Constituent Assembly began its session in 19th December, 1946 and Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected its President. Liaquat Ali Khan of the Muslim League was made the Finance Minister.

`color{green} ✍️` Muslim League refused to join it initially.

`color{green} ✍️` Prime Minister Attlee on 20th February, 1947 announced that British would withdraw from India by 30th June, 1948.

Mountbatten Plan

`color{purple}ul{"Mountbatten Plan "(1947)}`

`color{green} ✍️` Also called as 3rd, June Plan.

`color{green} ✍️` The plan formulated by Lord Mountbatten outlined that :

`color{green} •` India was to be further divided into India and Pakistan.

`color{green} •` There would be a separate Constitutional Assembly for Pakistan to frame its Constitution.

`color{green} •` The princely states would enjoy the liberty to join either India or Pakistan or could even remain independent.

`color{green} •` Bengal and Punjab will be partitioned and a referendum in NWFP and Sylhet district of Assam would be held. A separate state of Pakistan would be erected. Boundary Commission was to be headed by Radcliffe.

Indian Independence Act

`color{purple}ul{"Indian Independence Act "(1947)}`

`color{green} ✍️` On 18th July, 1947, British Parliament ratified the Mountbatten plan as the Independence of India Act, 1947.

`color{green} ✍️` The act provided for the creation of two independent dominions of India and Pakistan.

`color{green} ✍️` Each dominion was to have a Governor-General, to be responsible for effective operation of the act.

`color{green} ✍️` Sovereignty of British power was to be abolished.

Indian Independence

`color{purple}ul{"Indian Independence"}`

`color{green} ✍️` On 15th August, 1947, India got independence.

`color{green} ✍️` Jinnah became the first Governor-General of Pakistan.

`color{green} ✍️` Pakistan was to comprise of Sind, British Baluchistan, NWFP, West Punjab and East Bengal.

 
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