Previous Year Question

The Cripps Plan proposed that India should be granted Dominion status after the conclusion of the Second World War.

Sir Stafford Cripps, a member of the British War Cabinet, arrived in India in March 1942. The immediate objective of the Mission was to secure the cooperation of Indian leaders and political parties for Britain during the Second World War.

Immediately after the war, a constitution-making body was to be constituted. On the basis of the Constitution framed by it, a new Indian Union would be established with the full status and powers of a Dominion.

A province was given the right not to accept the Constitution of the proposed Indian Union and to remain outside the Union. Such a province could be allowed to determine its separate constitutional position. This provision contained the possibility of a future partition, but the Plan did not directly propose that India must be divided into two before independence.

A treaty was to be concluded between the British Government and the constitution-making body, covering matters arising from the transfer of power and the protection of religious and racial minorities.

The Congress rejected the proposals because they did not provide for an immediate transfer of power and defence was to remain under British control during the war. Gandhiji considered the promise of a future settlement inadequate. The Muslim League was also dissatisfied because the proposal did not explicitly accept Pakistan.

The Plan neither explicitly offered immediate complete independence after the war nor proposed making India a republic on the condition of joining the Commonwealth. Hence, (a), (b) and (c) are incorrect.