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The Final Phase of British Rule and the Partition of India (1947)
I. The British Government Context
- Governing Party: The Labour Party
- Prime Minister: Clement Richard Attlee (1945-1951)
- Monarch: King George VI (reigned 1936-1952)
II. Timeline of Key Events Leading to Independence
| Date | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 20, 1947 | Attlee’s Announcement | PM Clement Attlee announced in the British Parliament that Britain would transfer power to “responsible individuals” and leave India by June 1948. |
| Mar 1947 | Appointment of Mountbatten | Lord Mountbatten was appointed Viceroy of India to replace Lord Wavell and oversee the transfer of power. |
| Jun 3, 1947 | Mountbatten Plan Declared | The official plan for the transfer of sovereignty and the partition of India was announced. It advanced the independence date to August 15, 1947. |
| Jun 14-15, 1947 | AICC Votes on Partition | The All India Congress Committee (AICC), presided over by President J.B. Kripalani, met and voted to accept the partition plan. |
| Jul 18, 1947 | Indian Independence Act | The Act, based on the Mountbatten Plan, received Royal Assent. It ended British sovereignty over India effective August 15, 1947. |
| Aug 14/15, 1947 | Independence & Transfer of Power | Sovereign power was transferred to the Constituent Assembly of India at midnight. |
III. The Mountbatten Plan & The Indian Independence Act
- Official Declaration: June 3, 1947.
- Key Provisions:
- Partition of British India into two new dominions: India and Pakistan.
- Legislative assemblies of Punjab and Bengal would vote on their partition.
- Referendums to be held in Sindh, Baluchistan, and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).
- A referendum for the Sylhet district of Assam.
- Princely States were given the option to accede to either India or Pakistan.
- The plan was enacted into British law via the Indian Independence Act 1947.
IV. The Process of Partition
- Boundary Commissions:
- Chairman: Sir Cyril Radcliffe.
- Two commissions were formed: one for Punjab and one for Bengal.
- Each commission had four members: two from the Indian National Congress and two from the Muslim League.
- Task was to demarcate the border based on Muslim and non-Muslim majorities.
- Historical Context:
- The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) was the last proposal for a united India. Its rejection by the Muslim League (who then called for “Direct Action” on August 16, 1946) is considered the last opportunity to avoid partition.
- An earlier, fragmented “Balkan Plan” was considered but not implemented.
V. Reasons for Accepting Partition
- The primary reason for the Indian National Congress accepting partition was to avoid large-scale communal riots.
- The Congress did not believe in the Two-Nation Theory but accepted partition as a practical necessity to achieve freedom.
- Britain’s weakened state after the Second World War made Indian independence inevitable.
- Mahatma Gandhi’s alternative suggestion—that M.A. Jinnah be invited to form the government—was rejected by other Congress leaders.
VI. Key Figures and Leadership
- Indian National Congress:
- President (1946-1947): J.B. Kripalani (elected at the Meerut Session in 1946; resigned Nov 1947).
- Key Leaders: Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (who seconded the partition resolution).
- Opponents of Partition: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi) and Dr. Kitchlew (who called it a “surrender of nationalism”).
- British Administration:
- Last Viceroy of India (Mar-Aug 1947): Lord Mountbatten.
- First Governor-General of India (1947-48): Lord Mountbatten.
- Last Governor-General of India (1948-50) & first Indian in the role: C. Rajagopalachari.
- Independent India’s Government:
- First Prime Minister: Jawaharlal Nehru (appointed by the Governor-General).
- First Law Minister & Chairman of the Drafting Committee: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
VII. Independence Day: August 14/15, 1947
- A special session of the Constituent Assembly was held at midnight.
- Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his “Tryst with Destiny” speech.
- M.S. Subbulakshmi sang the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana” and “Sare Jahan Se Achcha”.
- Mahatma Gandhi did not participate in celebrations; he was in Calcutta, fasting and praying in mourning over the partition.
VIII. Transition to a Republic
- The Indian Constitution was enforced on January 26, 1950.
- This date was chosen to honour January 26, 1930, which the Congress had celebrated as the first “Purna Swaraj” (Complete Independence) Day.
IX. Historical Perspectives
- R. Coupland: “Indian Nationalism was the child of the British Rule.”
- K.M. Panikkar: “The most notable achievement of the British Rule was the unification of India.”
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