Why Jinnah accepted Cabinet Mission?

[umair jarwar]

If Iqbal was the visionary during 1930's address in Allahabad, if the letters to Jinnah by Iqbal explained the demand of separate homeland, if there was a resolution passed for making a separate homeland in 1940. Then why Quaid-e-azam was accepting Union of India in the cabinet mission?

If Congress have accepted the proposals of Indian Dominion then what would have been the situation of Sub-continent?

However critique admit that Q.Azam knew that Congress would never accept any plan that would be similar to the shape of Pakistan therefore he shown acceptance to the plan of the cabinet. But is this the possible explanation of the question?

[waqas virk jat]

Muslim league accepted the plan initially ,since it believed that the establishment of pakistan was inherent in the plan [Feature of the plan: Any province could by a majority vote of Legis assembly call for reconsideration of the terms of constitution- Meaning that it could review its relationship with the union and this implied that a group or province could quit the Indian union] and muslim league intended to convert two muslim groups into an independent state within a decade .

So muslim league accepted it.But when muslim league was not invited to form the interim government, Muslim league revoked its decision and called for "direct action" to achieve pakistan- meaning direct,without delay.

Had ml not revoked the decision and continued acceptance of the plan then it would have surely deferred establishment of pakistan i.e they then had to wait for ten years or so and then there was an open possibility that Congress might put off the establishment of pak by turning constituent assembly into a sovereign body and sweeping away the grouping clause and also by making the centre strong in her favor.

[umarabbas]

Originally Posted by umair jarwar

If Iqbal was the visionary during 1930's address in Allahabad, if the letters to Jinnah by Iqbal explained the demand of separate homeland, if there was a resolution passed for making a separate homeland in 1940. Then why Quaid-e-azam was accepting Union of India in the cabinet mission?

If Congress have accepted the proposals of Indian Dominion then what would have been the situation of Sub-continent?

However critique admit that Q.Azam knew that Congress would never accept any plan that would be similar to the shape of Pakistan therefore he shown acceptance to the plan of the cabinet. But is this the possible explanation of the question?

Dear Umair,

The History of Hindu-Muslim Unity (or tussle for that matter) can be divided into 3 different phases. In order to understand why Muslim League (Jinnah including) accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan we need to review the events that led to it before we can reach the conclusions.

First of all during the period of 1912 till the Delhi Muslim Proposals, we see a period of cooperation, trust and peaceful co-existence of Hindus and Muslims of the Subcontinent. Mind you that in the post Khilafat Movement, both Jinnah and the Muslim League suffered a number of setbacks that diminished their value in the Muslim Circle. Apparently this status-quo was crippled by "Nehru Report".

In this period of peace, Muslims were content with separate electorates and weightages (promised by Congress) in minority provinces. The Muslims, as perceived by the Simla Deputation under Sir Aga Khan, thought that their interests will be protected by the separate electorates and weightages.

As we see, this trust was carried right into the eve of elections in 1937. This can be concluded by analyzing Congress' win for their Muslim candidates as well. Several Reasons can be given for poor performance of Muslim League, which of course is not part of the debate at the moment.

In the post elections period, a serious rift appeared in Congress and Muslim League. Even at this eve, Jinnah pleaded Gandhi to use his power and mend the Hindu-Muslim Relations. Gandhi's reply was that "he was waiting for divine light and he never got that light"! It was after Congress (especially Nehru) set very strict conditions for joining the government and their refusal to share executive/government with Muslim League in certain provinces, that Quaid resort to the idea of a separate homeland. According to him, if this was the behavior of the Congress while the British were still the rulers of the land, what will happen after they have left!

Now let's look at the idea of a separate homeland. Muslim main fear, that developed after Congress' ministries, was their exclusion from the executive of the country. They had realized that a mere weightage or definite representation would not protect their interests since that did not guarantee participation/involvement in the government.

Right till the eve of partition, Muslims Main demand was parity at the center. Which meant that Muslims and Hindus were to be treated as equals with a definite representation in the Central Government.

Why did Muslim League accept Cabinet Mission Plan. In simple terms, Cabinet Mission Plan was an amalgamation of Desai-Liaquat Plan, Proposals by Molana Azad, and the Sapru Commission Report. All these initiatives had concluded that the only measure that could/would allay Muslims' fear of an eternal domination by Hindus would be some sort of parity at the center and as much decentralization as possible. The Cabinet Mission Plan provided that (although not to the liking of the Muslims). It provided a chance for Pakistan and a Pakistan within United India with maximum autonomy. It was in line with the Muslim Leagues Aims. However there were objections to this Plan from within the ranks of Muslim League (most notibly by Liauqat Ali Khan).


History reveals three reasons for ML's acceptance of this Plan:

1- The threat of the British: Accept it or face the music.
2- Muslim League's Central Body took it as a stepping stone to Pakistan.
3- Quaid later revealed that Cabinet Mission Plan gave Muslims sufficient autonomy to develop economically and culturally! (According to Aisha Jalal "Hindu Muslim parity within a united India was Jinnah’s real demand")

[umair jarwar]

Dear brother Umar abbas, I am thankful for your brief reply.

Much has been cleared almost 70% from the details that you had provided. One thing that is in my mind after reading your reply is that, the mind set which is mostly the corner stone of the whole debate of the Cabinet Mission plan i.e.it provided the recognition of Pakistan within United India which could be separated after 10 years. My question is that the provision of 10 years was not included in the Proposals that were given by Cabinet Mission however it was present in the " Terms of Offer" which were presented by Muslim League. So how it was possible that Pakistan could have been formed right after 10 years of interim government?

In addition to that, one thing that I wanted to say in response to the historical background that you had pointed out for explaining the Cabinet Mission. Congress Ministries along with Nehru's inclination and immature behavior towards Cabinet Mission plan was the political blunder made by Congress that strengthened the culmination of Pakistan. Right na? Can we add this thought in the paper of Indo-pak or Pakistan affairs?

[mechrose37]

Jinnah accepted Cabinet Mission Plan as he wanted to keep India united.Jinnah began his political career under the guidance of Gokhale and Dadabhouy and he was deeply inspired by both of them.Jinnah raised the banner of Pakistan as a bargaining chip and a pressure ploy to pressurise Hindu leadership.And when an opportunity was presented to him in the shape of CM,which ensured the security of rights of Muslim populace and unity of India,he willingly accepted it.
Jinnah was a great statesman who fought a two pronged war against intrigues of Hindu Leadership and machinations of British rulers.However,Jinnah was a man of scruples,an honourable,gentleman who believed in egalitarianism and freedom.He was bitterly opposed to division of India along religious lines.
It was Gandhi who had ensured Lord Wavel that if Jinnah could somehow be convinced to accept CM,congress would also accept it.Jinnah accepted plan after receiving this assurance from Viceroy,but Congress backed out and mission fell apart.This lead Lord Wavel to pass these remarks about Gandhi
," Whenever I see of that man ,I regard him as an old ,unscrupulous hypocrite".

The reason of the failure is laid in the unwise arrogance of Congress leadership which was under the sway of Mahasabhai group.Such was the hold of extremist hindus in congress that Gandhi himself was unable to bring Congress to a reasonable settlement of Hindu-Muslim propblem.

The failure of CM heralded the partition of India.It was followed by communal riots in Bihar and Calcutta where unspeakable crimes against humanity were perpetrated.

The responsibility of failure lays at the shoulders of Nehru who made inflammatory speeches to torpedo the efforts for unity of India.Partition was thus imposed upon Jinnah and the modern history of sub continent was written with blood of innocent people who fell victim to the whims and wishes of capricious politicians.

Please read following books to have a deeper insight into the events that shaped Indian Politics from 1940 to 1947.

India Wins Freedom by Maulana Azad
Jinnah,India ,Partition and Pakistan by Jaswant Singh
Jinnah of Pakistan by Stanley Wolpert
Emergence of Pakistan by Ch.Mohammad Ali

Also try to read works of Ayesha Jalal.

Regards

Originally Posted by umair jarwar

Dear brother Umar abbas, I am thankful for your brief reply.

Much has been cleared almost 70% from the details that you had provided. One thing that is in my mind after reading your reply is that, the mind set which is mostly the corner stone of the whole debate of the Cabinet Mission plan i.e.it provided the recognition of Pakistan within United India which could be separated after 10 years. My question is that the provision of 10 years was not included in the Proposals that were given by Cabinet Mission however it was present in the " Terms of Offer" which were presented by Muslim League. So how it was possible that Pakistan could have been formed right after 10 years of interim government?

In addition to that, one thing that I wanted to say in response to the historical background that you had pointed out for explaining the Cabinet Mission. Congress Ministries along with Nehru's inclination and immature behavior towards Cabinet Mission plan was the political blunder made by Congress that strengthened the culmination of Pakistan. Right na? Can we add this thought in the paper of Indo-pak or Pakistan affairs?

You are right that it was Nehru who failed this plan despite efforts of Jinnah,Gandhi and Lord Wavel.Maulana Azad has also held Nehru responsible for this.
It was inherent in plan that any one of three groups were free to break from the Union after ten years working of Constituent Assembly.

[umarabbas]

Originally Posted by umair jarwar

Dear brother Umar abbas, I am thankful for your brief reply.

Much has been cleared almost 70% from the details that you had provided. One thing that is in my mind after reading your reply is that, the mind set which is mostly the corner stone of the whole debate of the Cabinet Mission plan i.e.it provided the recognition of Pakistan within United India which could be separated after 10 years. My question is that the provision of 10 years was not included in the Proposals that were given by Cabinet Mission however it was present in the " Terms of Offer" which were presented by Muslim League. So how it was possible that Pakistan could have been formed right after 10 years of interim government?

In addition to that, one thing that I wanted to say in response to the historical background that you had pointed out for explaining the Cabinet Mission. Congress Ministries along with Nehru's inclination and immature behavior towards Cabinet Mission plan was the political blunder made by Congress that strengthened the culmination of Pakistan. Right na? Can we add this thought in the paper of Indo-pak or Pakistan affairs?

Let's answer your question step by step:

Point 1: "provisin of 10 years was not included....terms of offer presented by Muslim League." You are confused here brother. As i read history, i find the following narration. On 12th May 1946, ML sent its constitutional proposals conceding a union which would deal with defence and foreign affairs but have no legislature and powers of taxation and there would be a group of Pakistani provinces and a group of Hindustan provinces which would voluntarily contribute towards the expenditures of the center." The Cabinet Mission, it seems, incorporated the essence but not the safeguards that the AIML proposed.

The Cabinet Mission proposed that provinces could opt out of union and the union was given a legislature and powers of taxations (as against ML's proposal)...


As far as your second observation is concerned (Congress' behavior towards CM and ML in general), you can definitely write it in the exam since this was one of the main reasons for partition.

Let me give you a hint and you can work on it further Congress misjudged or miscalculated their own as well as ML's strengths and weaknesses.

A few lines from history:

"Gandhi had let it known to the Mission that in May 1946 that he did not favor grouping and parity was worse than a sovereign Pakistan"

Nehru to Cripps "ML is incapable of Direct Action"

Sardar Patel was so annoyed by Mr. Liaquat's Poor Man's Budget that he remarked, "if the ML did not accept the Cabinet Mission Plan, then the Congress desired Partition."


Brother the real questions to seek answers for are: Find out why Congress pushed the ML and Jinnah after securing a United India? why did they object to the grouping of Muslim majority provinces when the Congress would easily dominate the Union? or at least they could have waited for the British to leave!

The answer to all these can be applied to the early problems of Pakistan as well

[faridraja]

Congress never desired in favor of partition at any cost. Making of Pakistan while Gandhi was leading the Congress was impossible. Gandhi was a secular person and he left no ground for Muslim League and Quaid e Azam for a separate home land of Muslims. Very brilliant and bright leaders of muslims like Abul Kalam Azad were inspired by him due to his preaching of Indian Nationalism above the ethnicity and religion. He used to say that muslims are not a separate nation but they are just converts. That's why Quaid left India for settlement in England when he saw that muslims of India are not recognizing their ultimate destination and looking towards Congress.

When Iqbal continuously wrote Quaid to return India to lead the muslims and after some change of thought in his mind due to some spiritual happening he came back to India and fully devoted himself to the cause of Muslims' homeland Pakistan. Quaid never wanted to remain within united India. When Iqbal had given Allah Abad address in 1930 and Ch Rehmat Ali have given the name of Pakistan and published the pamphlet "Now or Never" Quaid was convinced and he had envisioned the future of muslims in shape of Pakistan.
Acceptance of Cabinet Mission by Quaid was his political vision and a way to tackle the Gandhi effect on muslims and on politics of India. Quaid left no moral ground for Gandhi to oppose the creation of Pakistan. At the end when Gandhi-Jinnah talk was held, Gandhi offered Jinnah that you quit the idea of Pakistan and i'll make you 1st Prime Minister of India and you will form cabinet of your desired ministers. Jinnah refused and reminded him all these events from Khilafat Movement, Nehru Report, Congress Ministries and Cabinet Mission etc. and said that how can he ignore all these things while making a big decision regarding the future of nation. Due to Quaid's vision Gandhi left empty handed and he could not level any allegation on Quaid or Muslim League.

In my opinion taking Pakistan from Gandhi was a miracle of 20th century and it needed a high level of integrity and political vision which we had in Jinnah. I believe if there were no Ghandi then we can achieve our goal as Ch Rehmat Ali proposed in his pamphlet i.e establishment of three sovereign Muslim states from India.

[umarabbas]

Originally Posted by faridraja

Congress never desired in favor of partition at any cost. Making of Pakistan while Gandhi was leading the Congress was impossible. Gandhi was a secular person and he left no ground for Muslim League and Quaid e Azam for a separate home land of Muslims. Very brilliant and bright leaders of muslims like Abul Kalam Azad were inspired by him due to his preaching of Indian Nationalism above the ethnicity and religion. He used to say that muslims are not a separate nation but they are just converts. That's why Quaid left India for settlement in England when he saw that muslims of India are not recognizing their ultimate destination and looking towards Congress.

When Iqbal continuously wrote Quaid to return India to lead the muslims and after some change of thought in his mind due to some spiritual happening he came back to India and fully devoted himself to the cause of Muslims' homeland Pakistan. Quaid never wanted to remain within united India. When Iqbal had given Allah Abad address in 1930 and Ch Rehmat Ali have given the name of Pakistan and published the pamphlet "Now or Never" Quaid was convinced and he had envisioned the future of muslims in shape of Pakistan.
Acceptance of Cabinet Mission by Quaid was his political vision and a way to tackle the Gandhi effect on muslims and on politics of India. Quaid left no moral ground for Gandhi to oppose the creation of Pakistan. At the end when Gandhi-Jinnah talk was held, Gandhi offered Jinnah that you quit the idea of Pakistan and i'll make you 1st Prime Minister of India and you will form cabinet of your desired ministers. Jinnah refused and reminded him all these events from Khilafat Movement, Nehru Report, Congress Ministries and Cabinet Mission etc. and said that how can he ignore all these things while making a big decision regarding the future of nation. Due to Quaid's vision Gandhi left empty handed and he could not level any allegation on Quaid or Muslim League.

In my opinion taking Pakistan from Gandhi was a miracle of 20th century and it needed a high level of integrity and political vision which we had in Jinnah. I believe if there were no Ghandi then we can achieve our goal as Ch Rehmat Ali proposed in his pamphlet i.e establishment of three sovereign Muslim states from India.

Dear brother, i am sooo inspired by your zeal. but the side you have presented is too biased and narrow. it looks like you have been reading Zia's History of Pakistan. Please dont take my words as a rebuke rather consider them part of a discussion about History.

Point #1: Gandhi was not a secular person. There are many instances in the history of Subcontinent where Gandhi had tried to call to the religious feelings of the lot. Jinnah on the other hand was secular in his outlook!

Examples:Jinnah opposed the Khilafat Movement while Gandhi endorsed it. Likewise, Jinnah wrote a letter to Gandhi explaining to him the consequences of playing with the religious sentiments of the common man!

Point# 2: Do you have any idea what Gandhi-Jinnah talks were about? They were about deciding who had the right to represent the Muslims of the Subcontinent! Above all Gandhi Jinnah talks were successful and they reached a conclusion but that was not ratified by the Congress Working Committee so that's why the talks lost their significance.

Point # 3: Abu Al Kalam Azad was not inspired by Gandhi. His nationalism was because of a long tradition of Muslims' love with their own homeland (Subcontinent at that time). Not only Azad, but the Madani Group and Jamiat-ul-Ulema i Hind opposed partition as well! Thanvi Group supported partition! Azad was part of that creed. Infact Jinnah was a Nationalist too! as much a nationalist as Gandhi, Azad or any other person if not more. That's why he tried a lot for Hindu Muslim Unity.


There are several other points where you roam into the realms of fantasy my brother. I would rather suggest to study History as a mere sequence of facts rather than having a biased and pre-programmed and vernacular view!

[faridraja]

Dear brother

I am emotionally attached with the history and story of Muslims of India but I am not biased in any case. I don't know how u perceived that.

1# Gandhi was the most secular person in Indian politicians amongst all. Secular means separation of religion from state/governance. Quaid was not a secular but a liberal person. Gandhi used the religious feelings just to spark the Indian politics. He used religious feelings of Muslims in Khilafat Movement to bow the British in front of him and proved himself the only leader of India (both Muslims and Hindus) and later on he used religious feelings of Hindus for political purposes but the objective was not religious only political.

2# Brother as you said the talks were regarding the representation of Muslims then if Congress had the right to represent the Muslims it meant no creation of Pakistan(meaning are the same). Talks lost their significance for Congress and Gandhi because their endeavor to abstain Quaid from demand of Pakistan failed. For ML it was a success because morally Congress was not in a position to criticize ML for demand of Pakistan and division of India.

3# Yes Quaid was also a nationalist but his nationalism for muslim nation was above the nationalism for India(land of India). That's why he said the Muslims are different Nation by any definition. Other muslim leaders from deoband and abdul ghafar khan and unionist party leaders in punjab were more nationalist to the land than to the muslim nation. Their nationalism was inspired by Gandhi. In their definition Nation included all those who were inhabitant of India (Indian Nation) while Quaid believed in Muslim Nation.

Brother i don't consider the history mere sequence of facts but I also incorporate in it the emotions. This gives me a conceptual understanding and can't memorize just facts.

I oppose the allegation of biased and per-programmed because I used to learn from any source available not just dependent on specific books. But i test those events and facts and adjust in my concept. Its not regarding history of India its about history of anytime.

One thing more If you know u are bad than why don't u try to be good.