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Indian Freedom Struggle (1707–1947 A.D.)

Notes The struggle for freedom entered a decisive phase in the year 1945-46. The British Prime Minister,
Lord Attlee, made a declaration on March 15, 1946, that British Cabinet Mission would visit India
to make recommendations regarding constitutional reforms to be introduced in India. The Cabinet
Mission which constituted of Lord Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps and A.V. Alexander visited India
and met the representatives of different political parties but a satisfactory solution to the
constitutional difficulties could not be found. The Mission envisaged the establishment of a
Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution as well as an interim government. The Muslim
League accepted the plan on June 6, 1946, while maintaining its rights of striving for a separate
Muslim state. The Congress also partially accepted the plan. On September 2,1946, an interim
government was formed. Congress members led by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru joined it but the
Muslim League did not as it withdrew its earlier acceptance of the Cabinet Mission Plan.
The Constituent Assembly met on December 9,1946, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected its
President. The Muslim League did not join the Assembly.
The Bill containing the provisions of the Mountbatten Plan of June 3,1947, was introduced in the
British Parliament and passed as the Indian Independence Act,
1947. The Act laid down detailed measures for the partition of India and speedy transfer of
political powers to the new government of India and Pakistan.
In accordance with the Indian Independence Act, 1947, India was partitioned on August 15, 1947
into India and Pakistan. The Act made India and Pakistan independent dominions. Bloodshed
and violence marked the exodus of refugees. The state of Kashmir acceded to the Indian Union,
after the raiders were helped by Pakistan, in October 1947. Lord Mountbatten was appointed the
Governor-General of free India and M.A. Jinnah the first Governor-General of Pakistan.

14.1 India in 1947
In March 1947, Lord Wavell was replaced by Lord Mountbatten. When he reached India, he found
the situation very critical. The Muslim League was carrying on its wear and tear campaign all over
the country especially in the Punjab. There were riots in March 1947. Lord Mountbatten felt that
the only way to tackle the situation was to complete the work of transfer of power into the Indian
hands within as short a period as possible. He held consultations with the Indian leaders for the
same purpose. He went to London in May 1947 to discuss the matter with the British Government.
On his return, he announced his famous June 3 Plan. By this Plan, it was proposed to divide India
into two parts, viz., the Dominion of India and Dominion of Pakistan. Both the Dominions were to
be given independence. The Plan was accepted by both the Muslim League and the Indian National
Congress. The Indian Independence Act, 1947, was passed to give effect to the June 3 Plan. The
division of the country took place on 15th August, 1947.
After the independence of India, Lord Mountbatten was again appointed as the Governor-General
of India and he continued to occupy that position till June 1948. It was during this period that the
invasion of Kashmir by the raiders took place. Kashmir acceded to India and the case of Kashmir
was taken to the United Nations.
There was a lot of bloodshed both in India and Pakistan on account of communal riots. There was
wholesale exodus of populations from India to Pakistan and vice versa.
Lord Mountbatten did a lot of useful work in connection with the Indian States. There was. the
possibility of a large number of independent states coming into existence in the country after the
extinction of British paramountcy in India. It goes to the credit of Lord Mountbatten that lie was
able to persuade most of the Indian States to join one or the oilier Dominion. The result was that
a lot of complications which otherwise would have given headache to the rulers of both India and
Pakistan were avoided. When Lord and Lady Mountbatten left India in June 194ft, there was a
general feeling that one who belonged to them was going to depart from their country.

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