CSS 2018 Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers | 3 June or Mountbatten Plan and its Implementation
The following question of CSS Pakistan Affairs 2018 is solved by Miss Iqra Ali, the best Pakistan Affairs Coach, on the guided pattern of Sir Syed Kazim Ali, which he taught to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. This solved past paper question is uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Question Breakdown
In this question, the examiner has asked you two things: first, to discuss the 3rd June Plan, and second, how the Plan was implemented in the Indian sub-continent. So, you have to decode the question carefully, as you can see that the second part is seldom decoded. Then, introduce the answer that must contain all the leading points you will add to your answer. Then, split the answer and support these parts by adding sub-parts because this approach will give more clarity to your answer. Generally, you can’t write comprehensive answers to the questions related to the benchmark events of history without adding critical analysis. So, you must add critical analysis and end it with a conclusion.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Historical Background of the Political Conditions that led to the Formulation of 3rd June Plan
3-What are the Important Points of the 3rd June Plan or Mountbatten Plan of the Partition of the Sub-continent?
- ✓Partition of the Indian Subcontinent
- ✓Partition of Bengal and Punjab
- ✓Establishment of a Boundary Commission
- ✓The Accession of Sindh
- ✓The Accession of North Western Frontier Province (NWFP)
- ✓A Referendum in the District of Sylhet
- ✓Establishment of the Constitutional Assemblies for India and Pakistan
4-How was the 3rd June Plan Implemented in the Indian subcontinent?
- ✓The Unjust Redcliff’s Award and the Partition of Indian Subcontinent
- ✓The Partition of Punjab
- ✓The Unjust Punjab Award and Accession Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Ferozpur, and Ambala to India
- ✓The Partition of Bengal
- ✓The Unjust Bengal Award and Accession of Calcutta to India
- ✓Accession of North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) to Pakistan
- ✓Accession of Sylhet to East Bengal
5-Critical Analysis
6-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The 3rd June Plan proposed to transfer the power from the British hands to Indians; however, Lord Mountbatten announced the 3rd June Plan to execute the partition of the Indian subcontinent. First, it proposed a partition scheme for the Indian subcontinent into two new dominions, India and Pakistan. Second, it provided that the partition of the provinces of Bengal and Punjab would based on Muslim and non-Muslim majority areas. According to the Plan, if the provinces favor partition, a Boundary Commission would be set up to demarcate the boundaries. However, the provincial assembly of Sindh would asked to either remain a part of the present constituent assembly or join the new constituent assembly of Pakistan. Third, it also provided for a referendum in the NWFP and Sylhet. Then, the British government constituted two constitutional assemblies to draft the future constitution of the dominions. Fourth, it provided for a boundary commission to implement the partition plan under the supervision of Sir Cyril Redcliff. As a result, the commission divided Punjab into two halves, namely East and West Punjab, where the former acceded to India and the latter to Pakistan. However, the commission awarded Muslim-majority areas of Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Ferozpur, and Ambala to the dominion of India. The Commission divided Bengal into two halves, namely East and West, where the former acceded to Pakistan and the latter to India. Even though most parts of the district Nadia and its adjoining district of Murshidabad had a Muslim-majority population, Calcutta was given to India while considering other factors. After the accession of West Punjab to Pakistan, a referendum was held in NWFP, resulting in its accession to Pakistan.
Historical Background of the Political Conditions that led to the Formulation of 3rd June Plan
The elections of 1945-46 established an interim government in British India. As a result, several ministerial powers transferred from the British government to the Indians. As a result, Nawabzadda Liaqat Ali Khan, a member of the All India Muslim League (AIML), was made the first finance minister of United India. He presented the last and the most controversial budget on Feb 28, 1947, which was against the accumulation of wealth in few hands and endorsed pro-equalization of wealth. As a result, a storm of Hindu capitalists and leaders of the Indian National Congress (INC) started to antagonize the budget. This antagonistic attitude had increased the tensions between Muslims and Hindus at large. After this, the British government replaced Lord Wavell with Lord Mountbatten as the viceroy of British India. He was sent to transfer power to united India but had to yield to Jinnah’s iron will of a separate state for the Indian Muslims. After holding several meetings with the leaders of the Indian National Congress (INC) and the All India Muslim League (AIML), he prepared a draft plan for the partition of the Indian Subcontinent. Then, the draft of the partition plan was sent to England under the supervision of George Abell and Ismey on April 26, 1947. Indubitably, he prioritized the considerations of the Hindu leaders, namely, Jawahar Lal Nehru and Vallabhbai Patel, over Jinnah and All India Muslim League (AIML) leaders because they shared common thoughts on the urge for a United India. Endorsing their mutual urge, they prepared an alternative partition plan named Dickie Bird or Plan Balkan and sent it to London for the approval of the British Government. He presented the 3rd June Plan in a historic meeting on June 2, 1947, before the Indian leaders where Jinnah and his party said no to the provision of the partition of the provinces of Bengal and Punjab. But, at last, the 3rd June plan was implemented, which led to the partition of the Indian Subcontinent. The referendum in the district of Sylhet resulted in its amalgamation into Eastern Bengal.
What are the Important Points of the 3rd June Plan or Mountbatten Plan of the Partition of the Sub-continent?
Lord Mountbatten, the last Governor-General of India, arrived in United India on March 22, 1947. At his oath-taking ceremony, he repeated the words of British Prime Minister Clement Attlee that the British government would transfer the power to India by August (15, Aug 1947). Then, Mountbatten announced the 3rd June Plan to execute the partition. However, the 3rd June Plan consisted of the following important provisions:
- ✓Partition of the Indian Subcontinent
First, the Plan proposed a partition scheme for the Indian subcontinent into two new dominions, India and Pakistan. According to the Plan, the British government would transfer power to the Indians by August (15, August 1947). Indubitably, the partition was based on religious lines; the Hindu-dominated areas were acceded to India, and the Muslim-dominated areas were acceded to Pakistan.
- ✓Partition of Bengal and Punjab
Second, the Plan provided for the segregation of the provinces of Bengal and Punjab along religious lines. However, the British government would ask the provincial assemblies of these provinces to meet in two separate parts where the members would decide whether to partition the provinces. If they favor, with the consensus of a simple majority in any of these provinces, the British government would provide adequate arrangements for the partition.
- ✓Establishment of a Boundary Commission
Third, according to the Plan, if the provinces favor partition, a Boundary Commission would be set up to demarcate the boundaries of the areas of the Indian subcontinent based on contagious Muslim and Hindu majority areas. As an illustration, the Muslim-majority areas became part of Pakistan, and non-Muslim-majority territories became part of India. In addition, the Boundary Commission would also consider other factors while demarcating the areas.
- ✓The Accession of Sindh
Fourth, the Plan provided that two constitutional assemblies would be established for the new dominions, and provinces would be asked to accede to one of them. Similarly, the government would ask the Provincial Assembly of Sindh to decide whether Sindh wanted to remain a part of the present constituent assembly or join the new constituent assembly of Pakistan.
- ✓The Accession of North Western Frontier Province (NWFP)
Earlier, two out of the three representatives of NWFP agreed to join the existing provincial assembly of the United India. The plan provided that it would be incumbent on the provincial government of NWFP to reconsider its decision of accession in case Punjab or some of its parts would favor partition while keeping in view its geographical contiguity with Pakistan. For this purpose, a referendum will be held on the advice of the provincial governments under the supervision of the governor-general to find the decision of the members of the Provincial Assembly of NWFP whether they decide in favor of joining the constituent assembly of Pakistan or remaining part of the existing one.
- ✓A Referendum in the District of Sylhet
Fifth, it was mentioned in the Plan that the British government would ask for a referendum to be held in the district of Sylhet to know the decision of its population. The majority population of Sylhet were Muslims, but the district was part of the Hindu-majority province of Assam. Hence, it was decided that the results of the referendum would decide whether the district would amalgamate with Eastern Bengal or remain part of Assam.
- ✓Establishment of the Constitutional Assemblies for India and Pakistan
According to the Plan, the British government would constitute two constitutional assemblies to draft the future constitution of the dominions, namely the Constitutional Assembly of India and Pakistan. However, the legislative powers were conferred to these constitutional assemblies. They were assigned to establish governments in the dominions. However, the plan provided that the divided areas would be considered under the status of dominions until they formulated their respective constitutions.
How was the 3rd June Plan Implemented in the Indian subcontinent?
Moving forward, the British government passed the Indian Independence Bill to implement the 3rd June plan. The Bill authorized the Governor-General to constitute a boundary commission to demarcate the boundaries of the areas for accession to one of two dominions.
- ✓The Unjust Redcliff’s Award and the Partition of Indian Subcontinent
Moreover, the government constituted a boundary commission under the supervision of Sir Cyril Redcliff to implement the transfer of power plan to Indians from the British government. From areas to rivers, the government divided the Indian subcontinent into two states, India and Pakistan. The Bill provided that “The Boundary Commission was instructed to demarcate the boundaries of the two parts of the Punjab based on ascertaining the contagious majority areas of Muslims and non-Muslims. In doing so, it will also take into account other factors.” The following points of Redcliff’s Award presented the dark picture of the division of two provinces, Bengal and Punjab; however, the partition divides all the areas of the Indian subcontinent.
- ✓The Partition of Punjab
First, the government constituted a separate commission for the partition of Punjab because the Sikh community of the eastern side of Punjab agreed to accede to India. After lengthy discussions between leaders about who should be authorized to complete this task, the British government decided to authorize Cyril Redcliff as the chairperson of the Commission. Other members included the four Muslim judges, Justice Din Muhammad, Justice Mohammad Munir, Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan, and Justice Teja Singh. The Award was dependent on the decision of its chairman rather than on the reports of the Commission. The All India Muslim League and Indian National Congress had not agreed on the matter of fourteen provinces, and the Sikh community was highlighting economic and other factors. Ultimately, the government decided that partition would fixed on religious lines. Thus, the Punjab Award was completed (Aug 8-10, 1947), and it divided Punjab into two halves, namely East and West Punjab, where the former acceded to India and the latter to Pakistan.
- ✓The Unjust Punjab Award and Accession Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Ferozpur, and Ambala to India
Without any doubt, the Punjab Award was unjust as it allowed India a safe passage to Kashmir. As an illustration, the Commission awarded the Muslim-majority areas of Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Ferozpur, and Ambala to India. In addition, out of the four Tehsils of Gurdaspur, only Pathankot was a non-Muslim majority area. However, Gurdaspur, Shakargar, and Batala were Muslim-majority areas. Indubitably, Mountbatten influenced Redcliff in his decision because the supplement schedule of the Indian Independence Act showed Gardaspur as part of Pakistan. The Commission awarded the tehsils of Firozpur and Zira to India. According to Justice Munir, a member of the Punjab Award Commission, when I tried to discuss the case of Ferozpur and Zira tehsils with Redcliff, the latter remarked that the matter needed no argumentation as it would be undoubtedly a part of Pakistan. Surprisingly, the government delayed the Award by announcing that both areas acceded to India on 17 Aug 1947.
- ✓The Partition of Bengal
Second, the Award constituted a separate commission for the partition of Bengal. It was assigned to demarcate the contagious Muslim and non-Muslim majority areas of Bengal. After prolonged discussions about who should be authorized to complete this task, the British government appointed Cyril Redcliff as the chairman of the Commission. Other members included four judges, namely Justice C.C. Biswas, Justice Bijan Kumar Mukherjee, Justice S. A. Rehman, and Justice Abdul Saleh Muhammad Akram. The Bengal Award was contingent on the decision of its chairman rather than on the reports of the Commission. Moreover, the Commission divided Bengal into two halves, namely East and West Bengal, where the former acceded to Pakistan and the latter to India.
- ✓The Unjust Bengal Award and Accession of Calcutta to India
Unsurprisingly, the Bengal Award was unjust as Calcutta, the capital of West Bengal, was acceded to India. It was a non-Muslim-majority area, but Calcutta had the prime seaport in West Bengal. It was the main center of trade, industry, transport, and education. So, it had significant economic importance to Pakistan because jute was produced in East Bengal but processed in the factories of Calcutta. In the words of Tyson, the Governor of Bengal at that time, without Calcutta, East Bengal would be a rural Slum. Most parts of Nadia and its adjoining district of Murshidabad had a Muslim-majority population, but Calcutta was given to India based on other factors.
- ✓Accession of North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) to Pakistan
As I discussed, the British government mentioned in the Plan that it would be incumbent on the provincial government of NWFP to reconsider its decision of accession in case Punjab or some of its parts would favor partition while keeping in view its geographical contiguity with Pakistan. Therefore, after the accession of West Punjab to Pakistan, a referendum was held in NWFP that resulted in its accession to Pakistan.
- ✓Accession of Sylhet to East Bengal
Moving forward to Sylhet, it was decided that the referendum would determine whether the district would amalgamate with Eastern Bengal or remain part of Assam. Therefore, a referendum was held in Sylhet to find the decision for accession with one of the two dominions. Hence, the results decided that the district would amalgamate with Eastern Bengal.
Critical Analysis
In a robust analysis, the 3rd June Plan transformed years of the independence struggle of Indians into reality. However, one mistake in the Redcliff Award dramatically changed the course of this victorious step towards future disaster, indubitably, the Kashmir issue. The complexity of the Kashmir issue can be described by the fact that local people of India and Pakistan, whenever get stuck in un-escapable trouble, they designate it to the Kashmir issue by quoting the phrase yh Masla-i-Kashmir hy. Therefore, it can be said that the Redcliff Award was not only unjust, unfair, and miserable but also a disaster. As aptly described by Ahmad Sarwar in his book Trek to Pakistan, how the Muslim-majority areas of Gurdaspur, Firozpur, and Zira acceded to India would always blot the reputation of the English judicial system.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the 3rd June Plan transferred the authority from the British to the Indians and led to the partition of the Indian subcontinent into two dominions, namely India and Pakistan. It provided for the partition of the provinces of Bengal and Punjab based on religious lines. Moreover, the Commission divided Punjab into two halves, namely East and West Punjab, where the former acceded to India and the latter to Pakistan. Then, the Award segregated Bengal into two halves, namely East and West Bengal, where the former acceded to Pakistan and later to India. Both Awards were unjust as one allowed India a safe passage to Kashmir, and the other made East Bengal a mere rural slum. In the case of NWFP, the plan provided that a referendum would be held on the advice of the provincial governments under the supervision of the Governor-General to find their choice for accession. The referendum resulted in its accession to Pakistan. However, a referendum in Sylhet resulted in its accession to East Bengal. The British government constituted two constitutional assemblies for the new dominions and transferred power to two states.
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