· The Cabinet Mission
that came over to decide India’s fate declared India must remain a single
sovereign country. Congress and the Muslim League agreed to honor the spirit of
the Cabinet Mission proposals. Jinnah agreed to take the Pakistan demand off the table under
those circumstances.
· July 10, 1946: Nehru
declared in a press conference that Congress was not bound by the terms of the
Cabinet Mission proposal. Jinnah was roused into demanding Pakistan again.
· July 27, 1946: the
Muslim League declared Direct Action and embarked on a vicious campaign of
violence against the Hindus to get their way. Wavell, Gandhi, and Nehru did
nothing at all to protect the Hindus or to call off the Direct Action.
· Gandhi and Nehru
preached nonviolence to the Hindus and insisted that only the Government could
retaliate against the rioting—only the Government was doing nothing effective.
Savarkar encouraged the Hindus to pick up arms and defend themselves, and even
made sure that arrangements were made for that and for protecting the Hindu
areas wherever possible.
·
The whole of India was
in a state of civil war, particularly Pakistan and Bengal.
·
Prime Minister Atlee
recalled the ineffective Wavell and sent Lord Mountbatten instead. In a short
time he had all the princes and Congress leaders eating out of his hand.
- Anurupa
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