Transfer of Power & Partition
National Movement · सत्ता हस्तांतरण और विभाजन · 17 facts
Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) was proposed by British ministers — it proposed a 3-tier federal structure for India. The Muslim League initially accepted but later rejected it.
Wavell Plan (Shimla Conference, 1945) — proposed an Executive Council with equal representation of Hindus and Muslims. It failed due to Jinnah's insistence on Muslim League as sole representative of Muslims.
Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947) — Lord Mountbatten announced the partition of India into two independent dominions: India and Pakistan, with Princely States given the choice.
Indian Independence Act was passed by the UK Parliament on July 18, 1947 — it provided for the partition of British India into two independent dominions from August 15, 1947.
India became independent at midnight on August 14-15, 1947 — Nehru delivered his famous 'Tryst with Destiny' speech to the Constituent Assembly.
Radcliffe Line — Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a British lawyer who had never been to India, was given just 5 weeks to divide Punjab and Bengal. The boundary was announced on August 17, 1947.
Partition violence (1947) caused 1-2 million deaths and displaced approximately 15 million people — one of the largest forced migrations in human history.
Lord Mountbatten became the first Governor-General of independent India; Jinnah became the first Governor-General of Pakistan.
C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) became independent India's first Indian Governor-General in June 1948 when Mountbatten left — he was also the last Governor-General.
Pakistan Day is August 14 — Pakistan became independent one day before India; India's Independence Day is August 15.
Direct Action Day (August 16, 1946) — declared by Muslim League after rejecting Cabinet Mission; it led to horrific communal riots in Calcutta (the Great Calcutta Killings).
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and VP Menon were instrumental in the integration of 562 Princely States into India through persuasion and occasionally force (Hyderabad Police Action 1948).
Junagadh and Hyderabad refused to join India initially — both were eventually integrated by Indian military/police action (Hyderabad 'Police Action' Operation Polo, September 1948).
Jammu & Kashmir's accession to India — Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947 after Pakistani tribal attack; India sent troops.
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected in 1946 under Cabinet Mission — it had 389 members initially. After partition, the Indian CA had 299 members.
Simon Commission (1927-28) — all-British commission to review the working of Government of India Act 1919; Indian leaders boycotted it as no Indian was included.
Nehru Report (1928) — prepared by a committee headed by Motilal Nehru — proposed dominion status with fundamental rights and rejected separate electorates for Muslims.