Mountbatten Plan: India’s Partition, Independence & Birth of Pakistan” |
Mountbatten Plan: India’s Partition and Birth of Pakistan
The Mountbatten Plan, formulated in June 1947 by Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last British Viceroy of India, is a significant milestone in India’s struggle for independence. This article examines the Mountbatten Plan’s key features, objectives, and consequences, which laid the groundwork for India’s partition and the subsequent emergence of two separate nations, India and Pakistan.
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Pre-Mountbatten Context: Freedom with Partition and Dominion Status
- Freedom-With-Partition: Long before Mountbatten came to India, the freedom-with-partition formula was becoming broadly recognised.
- Instant The Award Of Dominion Status: One key innovation (originally proposed by V.P. Menon) was the instant transfer of power based on the award of dominion status (with a right of secession), eliminating the need to wait for a constituent assembly consensus on a new political framework.
Mountbatten Plan: Division, Referendums, and Congress’s Demands
- Vote For Division: Punjab and Bengal Legislative Assemblies will vote for division into two groupings, Hindus and Muslims.
- Divided Into Two Dominions: If a simple majority of either group voted for partition, these provinces would be separated into two dominions and two constituent assemblies, with Sindh making its own decision.
- Referendums: In the NWFP and the Sylhet district of Bengal would decide the fate of these places.
- Congress For Unified India: Since the Congress had conceded a unified India, all of their other demands would be met:
- Independence for princely states was ruled out—they would join either India or Pakistan.
- Bengal’s independence has been ruled out.
- Hyderabad’s accession to Pakistan was ruled out (Mountbatten supported the Congress on this).
- Freedom to come on August 15, 1947.
- A boundary commission to be established if the partition was to occur.
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Mountbatten Plan Outcome: Pakistan’s Establishment and Unity Efforts
- As a result, the League’s demand was met to the degree that Pakistan would be established, while the Congress’ position on unity was taken into account to keep Pakistan as small as feasible. Mountbatten’s formula was to partition India yet keep maximum unity.
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Why Congress Accepted Dominion: Peace, Control, Continuity, Commonwealth
- Peaceful And Quick Transfer Of Power: Despite the fact that it violated the spirit of the Lahore Congress (1929), the Congress was willing to accept dominion status in order to achieve a peaceful and rapid transition of power.
- Controlling The Explosive Situation: It was more important for Congress to assume authority to check the explosive situation.
- Continuity: it would allow for some much-needed continuity in the bureaucracy and the army.
- Maintaining Relationship With Commonwealth: Given India’s economic strength, defence capacity, and higher value of trade and investment, Britain saw the dominion status as an opportunity to maintain India in the Commonwealth, even if only temporarily.
Justification for a Quick Date (August 15, 1947): Quick Date, Partition, Referendums, Commissioners
- Avoiding Responsibility For The Community Situation: Britain desired Congress’ approval of the dominion status. Simultaneously, the British could avoid responsibility for the community situation. The strategy was put into operation without the least delay.
- Partition Of Bengal And Punjab: Bengal and Punjab legislative legislators voted in favour of partitioning these two provinces. Thus, East Bengal and West Punjab became part of Pakistan, whereas West Bengal and East Punjab remained part of the Indian Union.
- Sylhet referendum: The Sylhet referendum resulted in the district being included in East Bengal.
- Boundary Commissioners: To demarcate the boundaries of the new provinces, two boundary commissioners were formed, one for each province.
- NWFP referendum And Sindh: The NWFP referendum favoured Pakistan, with the Provincial Congress abstaining from voting. Balochistan and Sindh decided to join Pakistan.
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Conclusion
The Mountbatten Plan of June 1947 was critical in shaping the course of India’s struggle for independence and subsequent partition. While the plan was intended to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power, it resulted in enormous human suffering, communal violence, and the establishment of India and Pakistan as separate nations. The Mountbatten Plan’s legacy lives on in the collective memory of the subcontinent, serving as a stark reminder of the complexities, challenges, and consequences of decolonization and the pursuit of national self-determination.
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