Cabinet Mission Plan, Proposal, Objective - General Knowledge of Modern India

Cabinet Mission Plan, Proposal, Objective - General Knowledge of Modern India

On 22 January it was decided to send the Cabinet Mission and on 19 February 1946 the Government of British Prime Minister CR Attlee announced the formation of the Cabinet Mission in the House of Lords and plans to leave India. The high powered mission of three British cabinet members, including India Secretary Lord Pethick Lawrence, Chairman of the Board of Trade Sir Stafford Cripps and Navy Chief AV Alexander, reached Delhi on 24 March 1946.

Also Read: Cripps Mission & Proposal - General Knowledge of Modern India

Mission Proposal

• The mission proposed to prepare an agreement after consulting the elected representatives of British India and the Indian princely states regarding the making of the constitution.
• Proposal for constitution of a constitutional body
• Proposal to constitute an Executive Council with the support of major Indian parties

Mission Objective

• To remove the political deadlock between the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League and to stop the communal disputes. There was a difference of opinion between the two as to which option would be better for British India, unified or divided?
• The Congress party wanted a strong government at the center with more powers than the provincial governments.
• All India Muslim League under Jinnah's leadership wanted to keep India undivided but only if certain political safeguards were provided to Muslims, such as guarantee of equality in legislatures.
• After the Simla Conference in 1945, the Cabinet Mission Plan was announced on May 16, 1946.

Mission Recommendations

• The unity of India should be maintained.
• It proposed the formation of a very weak federation comprising all the Indian territories, which controlled only defence, foreign affairs and communications. The federation would have the power to raise the necessary finances for the management of all these subjects. able to
• Apart from the federal powers, all other powers and residuary powers were given to the provinces of British India.
• A constitution-making body or Constituent Assembly should be elected in which fixed seats should be provided to all the states in proportion to their population.
• It proposed to include 292 members from British India and 93 members from princely states in the proposed Constituent Assembly.
• The mission proposed the formation of an immediate interim government at the Centre, supported by all political parties and with all Indian portfolios.