Explain the developments since March, 1946 that led to the Partition of India.

(i) When negotiations were begun again in 1945, the British agreed to create an entirely Indian central executive council, except for the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, as a preliminary step towards full independence.

(ii)    Provincial elections were again held in 1946. The Congress swept the general constituencies, capturing 91.3 per cent of the non-Muslim vote. The League’s success in the seats reserved for Muslims was equally spectacular: it won all 30 reserved constituencies in the Centre with 86.6 percent of the Muslim vote and 442 out of 509 seats in the provinces.

(iii)    In March 1946, the British Cabinet sent a three members mission (called Cabinet Mission) to Delhi to examine the League’s demand of creation of Pakistan and to suggest a suitable political framework for free India. The Cabinet Mission toured the country for three months and recommended a loose three-tier confederation. India was to remain united.

(iv)    It was to have a weak central government controlling only foreign affairs, defence and communications with the existing provincial assemblies being grouped into three sections while electing the Constituent Assembly : Section A for the Hindu-majority provinces, and Section B and C for the Muslim-majority provinces of the north-west and the north-east (including Assam) respectively.

(v)    Initially all the major parties accepted this plan. But the agreement was short-lived because it was based on mutually opposed interpretations of the plan. The League wanted the grouping to be compulsory, with Sections B and C developing into strong entities with the right to secede from the Union in the future.

(vi)    The Congress wanted that provinces be given the right to join a group. It was not satisfied with the Mission’s clarification that grouping would be compulsory at first, but provinces would have the right to opt out after the constitution had been finalised and new elections held in accordance with it.

(vii)    After withdrawing its support to the Cabinet Mission plan, the Muslim League decided on “Direct Action” for winning its Pakistan demand. It announced 16 August 1946 as “Direct Action Day”. On this day, riots broke out in Calcutta, lasting several days and leaving several thousand people dead.

(viii)    Amritsar district became the scene of bloodshed later in the year when there was a complete breakdown of authority in the city. British officials did not know how to handle the situation: they were unwilling to take decisions, and hesitant to intervene.

(ix)    Problems were compounded because Indian soldiers and policemen came to act as Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs. As communal tension mounted, the professional commitment of those in uniform could not be relief upon. In many places not only did policemen help their coreligionists but they also attacked members of other communities.