Cabinet Mission 1946 – UPSC Indian Polity Notes

The Cabinet Mission was a mission sent by the Attlee Government in February 1946 in order to propose a constitutional framework to break the deadlock between Indian Political groups.

It was a statement made by Lord Wavell, the then Viceroy. The mission had three members from the British Cabinet – Pethick Lawrence, AV Alexander, and Stafford Cripps.

The mission was aimed at discussing a potential transfer of powers from the Britishers to the Indian leadership.

• Pethick Lawrence – Secretary of State for India
• Stafford Cripps – President of the Board of Trade
• A.V Alexander – First Lord of Admiralty

Important Point:

Lord Wavell was not a member of the Cabinet Mission but was involved.

Historical Context:

• Following the intention of the elected Labor Government in Britain to form a Constituent Assembly capable of framing the Indian Constitution, the Cabinet Mission was sent to India in March of 1946.
• During the time, Indian National Congress and Muslim League had reached a major roadblock in the terms of ideological differences, and future of India.
• Many Britishers wished for a United India, as it would have given pride to the British empire in having politically unified the subcontinent.
• Some British authorities also had doubts about the feasibility of Pakistan as an independent state.
• Shimla Conference was an attempt to facilitate an agreement between the two politically opposing parties.
• It eventually failed, and the Cabinet Mission was sent to reach a consensus.
• Both parties were unwilling to reach a settlement.
• These two parties emerged victorious in the general and provincial elections and hence had the biggest say in subcontinental politics.
• Despite their commitment to a united India, the Britishers could no longer reverse the consequence of the seed of separatism sown while they offered separate electorates based on religion.

Objectives of Cabinet Mission

• To reach a consensus on the question of framing of Indian Constitution by Indian Political parties.
• To establish the Constituent Assembly of India, which would be responsible for the framework and ingredients of the Constitution.
• To establish an Executive Council, with the support of the major Indian Political parties.

Recommendations of the Cabinet Mission Plan

The following were the recommendations of the Cabinet Mission Plan:

• There shall be a Union of India, which would consist of both British India and the states, and this union would deal with foreign affairs, communications, and defense as its subjects.
• The Union of India would have the powers necessary to be able to raise finance as and when required from any of the above subjects.
• The Union shall have Executive & Legislature, which would be constituted from the representatives of the States and British India.
• Any question that would raise a communal issue would be decided by the majority of the representatives present and voting from each of the two major communities, as well as the majority of the members present and voting.
• The provinces shall vest all subjects other than the Union subjects and all residuary powers.
• Other than the power ceded to the Union of India, all other subjects and adjoining powers would remain with the states.
• Provinces could form groups with Legislatures and Executives freely, with each group having the power to determine the provincial subjects.
• The demand for a full-fledged independent Pakistan was rejected.
• The grouping of the provincial assemblies was done in three sections:
  • Section A – Hindu Majority Provinces
  • Section B & C – Muslim Majority Provinces
• Princely states would be free to enter into an arrangement with the British government, or any successor government, and would no longer be under the paramountcy of the British government.

Indian National Congress Reaction to Cabinet Mission:

• The Plan was accepted initially by the Indian National Congress.
• However, the Congress Party soon rejected the “grouping” in the Cabinet mission plan, and it was dividing the provincial assemblies on communal lines.

Muslim League’s Reaction to Cabinet Mission:

• The Plan was also accepted initially by the Muslim League.
• The Muslim League was not open to changing any part of the Plan.
• Hence, the consensus between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League couldn’t be reached.

The proceedings of the Constituent Assembly began, and as a result, an interim government was formed with Jawaharlal Nehru as the Prime Minister.

The Muslim League refused to be a part of the Constituent Assembly as well as the Interim government, and initiated the “Direct Action Day”, leading to large scale violence across the country.

Reasons for the failure of the Cabinet Mission:

• The Congress Party wanted a strong center, with minimum powers to the provinces.
• On the other hand, the Muslim League wanted a strong political safeguard for the Muslims.
• Due to the wide ideological differences, the mission arrived in India to set up a consensus between the two parties in May 1946.
• The Indian Dominion was to be granted independence without any partition.
• However, the provinces were to be divided into three groups: Group A with Hindu Majority provinces, and Group B & C with Muslim Majority provinces.
• This grouping was not acceptable to the Indian National Congress, as it was made on the basis of religion.
  • It also gave an idea of a weak centre.
• Muslim League, on the other hand, didn’t want any amendments to the proposed sections/groups of provinces.
• Due to this, a major roadblock was reached and erupted into violence in India.
• Due to this, another new plan was proposed by the mission in June 1946.
• In this new plan, a division of India into a Hindu majority India and a Muslim majority India, which was later renamed to Pakistan, was proposed.
  • A list of princely states could either remain independent, or be a part of any of the two unions.
• The Congress Party under JL Nehru rejected the second plan.
• Instead, he agreed to be a part of the Constituent Assembly.
• The Viceroy then invited 14 men to be a part of the Interim government.
  • 5 were from Congress, 5 from Muslim League, and 1 member each to represent the Sikh, Parsi, Indian Christian, and Scheduled Caste community.
• Both Indian National Congress and Muslim League were asked to give their nomination for the membership to the Viceroy’s interim government.
• The Muslim League didn’t participate in the interim government.
• Nehru headed the interim government after Muslim League boycotted the viceroy’s interim council.
• Jinnah and the League objected to this newly formed central government, and agitated the demand for a new Muslim country named Pakistan.
  • He called for “Direct Action Day” on 16th August 1946.
• As a result, widespread communal rioting in the country took place, killing more than 5000 people in Calcutta on the very first day.
• The communal riots broke out in other notable areas of Noakhali and Bihar.
• On account of the riots happening in the country, there was a call for the partition of the country.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the first Congress leaders to acknowledge the inevitability of partition to stop the deadly violence.

Significance of the Cabinet Mission

• The Cabinet Mission plan was also referred to as “State Paper”.
• The Constituent Assembly acknowledged the Plan’s creation, and wanted to adhere to the plan’s proposals as much as possible.
• At the same time, it said that the assembly drew its legitimacy from the people of India.
• It kept the doors open for the Muslim League to join the proceedings of the Constituent Assembly.
• Further, the Cabinet Mission Plan was critical to scholarly works that engaged in the various aspects of Indian Constitutionalism, history, politics, law, partition and federalism.
• Some believe that the main intent behind the Cabinet Mission was to secure “British defense interests” in the Indian Ocean region.
• On a whole, the Cabinet Mission Plan was relevant to both the scholars and the public in general.

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