Correct Option
The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) represented the last significant effort by the British government to maintain a united India and avoid its partition. The Mission proposed a federal union of India with the following key features:
- A weak central government with control over only defence, foreign affairs, and communications.
- Provinces were to be grouped into three sections (A, B, and C) with regional autonomy.
- A Constituent Assembly would be formed to draft the new constitution.
Initially, both the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League showed willingness to consider the plan. However, the Congress accepted it with reservations regarding the grouping of provinces, while the Muslim League, after initial acceptance, later withdrew its approval. The League's subsequent call for 'Direct Action Day' and the ensuing communal violence further exacerbated the situation, ultimately leading to the rejection of a united India framework and making partition inevitable.
Incorrect Options
- Cripps Mission (1942): This mission, led by Sir Stafford Cripps, proposed dominion status for India after World War II and the formation of a Constituent Assembly. It failed due to disagreements between the British, the Congress, and the Muslim League over the immediate transfer of power and the right of provinces to secede. It occurred much earlier in the timeline and was not the final attempt to avoid partition.
- Rajagopalachari Formula (1944): This was an individual initiative by C. Rajagopalachari to resolve the political deadlock between the Congress and the Muslim League. It proposed a plebiscite in Muslim-majority areas for separation after the war, contingent on the League supporting the Congress for immediate independence. The formula was rejected by M.A. Jinnah, who found it unacceptable, and therefore it did not constitute a British-led final opportunity to prevent partition.
- Wavell Plan (1945): Proposed by Viceroy Lord Wavell at the Simla Conference, this plan aimed to form an interim government with equal representation for Hindus and Muslims (excluding Scheduled Castes) in the Executive Council. It failed due to fundamental disagreements between the Congress and the Muslim League, primarily over the Muslim League's demand to be the sole representative of Muslims. This plan focused on forming a provisional government rather than a comprehensive solution to avoid partition.