Tag: prominent leaders in indian freedom movement

The cabinet mission recommended an undivided India and turned down the Muslim league’s demand for a separate Pakistan. The Cabinet mission restricted the Communal representation.

The mission spent some 3 weeks to discuss with the leaders of various political parties, but could not arrive at any agreed solution. So finally it announced its own recommendations on May 16, 1946.

The cabinet mission recommended an undivided India and turned down the Muslim league’s demand for a separate Pakistan. The Cabinet mission restricted the Communal representation.

In all, 472 leaders were interviewed. The representatives of all shades of opinion were heard. The Congress and the Muslim League were, however, given main considerations.

9 December 1946: The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly was held in the constitution hall (now the Central Hall of Parliament House). Demanding a separate state, the Muslim League boycotted the meeting. Sachchidananda Sinha was elected temporary president of the assembly, in accordance with French practice.

The formation of the interim government was also a veritable tangle which the Cabinet Mission could not foresee. Lord Wavell had invited on June 16, 1946, the political parties of India to form the provisional government in the ratio of six representatives for the Congress, five to the Muslim League and three to the minorities.

The objective of this mission were to ;

• Devise a machinery to draw up the constitution of Independent India.
• Make arrangements for interim Government.

• Thus the mission was like a declaration of India’s independence.

On July 29, it rejected the plan and called the Muslims to resort to “Direct Action” to achieve the land of their dream “Pakistan”. August 16, 1946 was fixed as “Direct Action Day“.

On July 27, the Muslim League Council met at Bombay where Jinnah reiterated the demand for Pakistan as the only course left open to the Muslim League.

Cabinet Mission was composed of three Cabinet Ministers of England

Sir Pethick Lawrence, Secretary of State for India.

Sir Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade,

Alexander, the First Lord of the Admiralty