ICSE Grade X History Chapter- Indian Independence and Partition of India

1. Independence and Partition of India

2.  Causes that led to the cabinet mission plan
 Cabinet mission (date and members)
 Clauses of cabinet mission
 Reaction (INC and ML)
 Mountbatten plan (date), 7 leaders
 Clauses of Mountbatten plan
 Acceptance reasons

3. Introduction
 World War II ended in 1945, Indian Freedom
Movement ended a new phase.
 Memories of the suppression during the Quit
India and unfortunate end of INA were still fresh.
 Muslim League was in no mood to compromise
and had demanded for Pakistan.
 Wavell proposed some changes and also
released the leaders arrested during the Quit
India and proposed Wavell Plan.
 But, it was opposed by Congress (as it didn’t
promise total independence) and Muslim League
(as it didn’t promise Pakistan)

4. Events that led to the Cabinet Plan
1. Changes in the Britain:
 Government in Britain changed
 Soldiers were tired after fighting the World War.
 World War, had made economic and military powers of
Britain weak.
 Both the Power Blocs- USA and Soviet Union
promoted Independence of India.
2. Revolts in the Administrative Agencies
 Government could not depend on Indians for
administration as they had the feeling of Nationalism
entered in them.
 There were strikes in the Navy and Royal Indian Air
Force.
 Police and Civil Service declared that its no longer safe

5. Events that led to the Cabinet
Plan
3. Mood of the Indian People
 Indians were in a confident and determined
mood.
 They were in no mood to tolerate any humiliation
of British.
 Everyone demanded Freedom.
4. Labour Unrest
 All India strike of Postal and Telegraph strikes
 Railway strikes
 Paid Less or No tax
 Struggle for land and against high rents.

6. Cabinet Mission in India
 On Feb 19, 1946, Clement Attlee- the new
British PM declared that Cabinet Mission would
be sent to India to facilitate the process of
transfer of power.
 Cabinet Mission arrived in India in March 1946. It
consisted of three cabinet members:
a) Pethic Lawrence
b) Sir Stafford Cripps
c) A.V.Alexander

7. Clauses of the Cabinet Mission Plan
1. Federal Union
2. Powers of the Union
3. Provincial Autonomy
4. Grouping of Provinces
5. Formation of Constituent Assembly
6. Representation of Minorities
7. Formation of an Interim Government
8. Freedom to join the Commonwealth
9. Transfer of Power

8. Clauses of the Cabinet Mission Plan
1. Federal Union:
 There would be a Federal Union of the British
Provinces and Princely States.
 Union Government should deal with Foreign Affairs,
Defence, Communication & Finance.
2. Powers of the Union:
 The Union would have its own Executive and
Legislature.
3. Provincial Autonomy:
 Provinces would enjoy full Autonomy except for the

9. Clauses of the Cabinet Mission Plan
4. Grouping of Provinces:
The British Provinces would be divided into
groups.
Group A: Six Hindu Majority Provinces like
Madras, Bombay, Bihar, Orissa etc.
Group B: Three Muslim Provinces- Punjab,
NWFP (North West Frontier Province) and
Sind.
Group C: Bengal, Assam etc.

10. Clauses of the Cabinet Mission Plan
5. Formation of Constituent Assembly:
 389 Members would form the Constituent Assembly
(296 Members of British Provinces and 93 from
Princely States.
6. Representation of Minorities: Separate
representation was to given to Muslims and Sikhs.
7. Formation of an Interim Government: An interim
government at the Centre would be formed with 14
members.
8. Freedom to join the Commonwealth: India would
have a choice to join or not to join The British
Commonwealth.

11. 5ClausesofCabinetMissionPlan
Cabinet
Mission
Plan
Federal Union
Constituent
Assembly
Representation
of Minorities,
Interim
Government
Grouping of
Provinces
Freedom to Join
Commonwealth
11

12. Reaction to the Cabinet Mission Plan
 Reaction of Congress:
 Congress accepted the plan but with some
reservations.
 It accepted that part of the plan that spoke about the
Constituent Assembly and Constitution.
 It proposed that Grouping of provinces should be made
optional and not compulsory.
 Congress rejected the formation of Interim Government
because it gave parity (equality) to Muslim league at
par with Congress.
Reaction of Muslim League: Muslim League accepted
the plan entirely as it saw Grouping of Muslim

13. Lord Mountbatten
 Lord Wavell (who has proposed the failed- Cabinet
Mission Plan) was recalled and Lord Mountbatten
was appointed as new Viceroy in 1947.
 His immediate task was to restore peace between INC
and Muslim League.
 He found that the task is difficult and decided to speed
up the transfer of power without any delay.
 He presented his plan- The Mountbatten Plan before
the seven leaders- Nehru, Patel, Kripalani, Jinnah,
Liaquat, Nishtar and Baldev Singh.
 INC and Muslim league accepted the plan.
 Plan was announced on June 3,1947.
 Gandhi once again reminded not to go for Partition as
it may cause harm to the country.

14. Lord Mountbatten Plan: Clauses
1. Partition: Country would be divided into two
Dominions, India & Pakistan.
2. Relations between two new Dominions: Two
dominions would decide what kind of relations they
wish to keep with the British Commonwealth and with
each other.
3. Boundary Commission: Boundary Commission
would be setup and it would settle the boundaries of
the two Dominions.
4. Princely States: All the treaties with the Princely
States would come to an end. They would be free to
join any Dominion or to remain Independent.
5. Bengal & Punjab: Partition of Bengal and Punjab
was proposed, provided the Constituent Assemblies

15. 6. Sindh: Sindh was given a choice to take its own
decision, either to join India or Pakistan.
7. NWFP: North West Frontier Province was given a
choice to take its own decision, either to join India or
Pakistan.
8. District of Sylhet: The Muslim Majority was given a
choice to take its own decision, either to remain in
Assam or to join East Bengal.
9. Constituent Assembly: The existing Constituent
Assembly would continue to work, but Pakistan
would have its own Constituent Assembly and
Pakistan would frame its own Constitution.
10. Transfer of Power: Transfer of Power would take
place earlier i.e. on August 1947 instead of June
1948. British would pass an Act before the Transfer
of Power on 15th August 1947.

16. Lord Mountbatten Plan:
Acceptance
 Public expressed mixed feelings.
 Nationalists criticized partition.
 INC has no other alternative so accepted the plan.
 Muslim league wasn’t happy with the way Pakistan
was divided but still accepted it.
 Reasons of acceptance of the plan are as follows:
1. Large scale communal riots convinced all that
Partition is the only solution. Sardar Patel said India
would be divided into smaller Pakistans if we refuse
the partition.
2. Muslim League had joined interim government. INC
had realized that it cant work/jointly administer
with Muslim League.
3. Leaders realized that if Partition was further delayed
then India may head towards a Civil War.

17. Lord Mountbatten Plan:
Acceptance
4. British were trying to suggest the rulers of Indian
states to remain independent. And continuation of
British rule would mean a greater calamity. So
partition was the price for immediate independence.
5. A smaller India with a Stronger Central Authority
was better than a Bigger India with Weaker Central
Authority. There was no alternative.
6. Leaders felt that partition would keep away
undemocratic procedures and constitution of
separate electorates from India. And then India
can evolve as a truly secular and democratic
state.

18. The Indian Independence Act 1947
 After the acceptance of the Mountbatten Plan by all the
Indian leaders then British PM introduced the Indian
Independence Bill in the British Parliament and it was
passed by both the British Houses on July 1, 1947.
 The main Clauses/Provisions of the Indian Independence
Act 1947 were as follows:
1. Two New Dominions (Pakistan would include Sindh,
British Baluchistan, NWFP, West Punjab and East Bengal.
The remaining territories would be included in India.)
Boundary Commission: exact boundary
2. Provisions of Partition:
a) Bengal and Punjab would be divided if desired by its
people.
b) Through Plebiscite (Voting) people of NWFP and Sylhet
would decide whether to join India or Pakistan. Later they
joined West and East Pakistan)

19. The Indian Independence Act 1947:
Clauses
3. Governor – General for Each Dominion
4. Separate Constituent Assemblies to serve as
Central Legislatures.
5. End of Jurisdiction of the British Parliament:
a. From 15th August 1947 control of British parliament
would end.
b. Emperor of India and King of England- titles would be
dropped.
c. Till separate new constitutions are framed country
would be governed as per Act of 1935.
d. Governor-General would have the powers to modify
or adopt Government of India.
e. Right of king to veto (refuse) laws would be given up.

20. The Indian Independence Act 1947:
Clauses
6. Princely states would be free from all British
treaties. Free to join either of the Dominions.
7. Treaties and Agreements with Govt. of India would
lapse.
8. Division of Army and Assets
9. Bringing Act into Operation (Governor- General)
10. Office of Secretary of State and Interest of
Existing Officers: Interest of the existing officers
would be safeguarded. And the Office of Secretary of
State would be abolished.