Cripps Mission    

Since this matter has been dealt with in the essay on Sardar Patel (section-great men of India) I will be as brief as possible. The popularity of the Sabha was on the rise. S was now much sought after by the media for his views.

With the fall of Singapore to the Japanese, it seemed that the Japs would smash the allied forces in the East. A this critical moment S issued a statement excerpts “Nothing can rouse the Indian people with a war like spirit, but a bold and unambiguous declaration that India is guaranteed forth with a co-partnership in an Indo-British Commonwealth with other self-governing constituents like Britain. If Japan is allowed to reach the borders of India such her immediate aim is to free India, such a Proclamation on their part cannot but catch the imagination of the Indian people by storm and usher in incalculable political complications”. Meanwhile in March 1942 Rajaji declared the Muslim demand for Pakistani states as just and fair share in real power. S condemned Rajaji.

Apprehensive after the fall of Singapore and with a view to impressing the American people with the genuine sincerity of British aims about India, Churchill announced on 11/3/1942 the Cripps Mission. The scheme put forward by Stafford Cripps envisaged the creation of a new Indian Union, which would constitute a Dominion, associated with the United Kingdom immediately after the cessation of hostilities. Secondly the scheme granted the right to any province that was not prepared to accept the new Constitution framed by the constitution making body, to retain its status, provision being made for its subsequent accession, if it so desired. Cripps had an interview with S – read below.

To support his arguments Cripps said that the right of self-determination was not new in politics, as given to every unit in Canada before the formation of her federation. S then turned those arguments against Cripps by telling him the Canadian states were separate entities before they were called together to say whether they liked to form themselves into an organic state. But India was already one welded Central unit. To this Cripps replied that India was never a Unitarian nation. S said “To the Hindus, it is an article of faith that India, their motherland and holyland, is a cultural and national unit undivided and indivisible. Also the British gvt calls it as one administrative unit with one army, navy and airforce”. Cripps had to keep silent.  The Mahasabha was the first political organization that rejected the Cabinet proposal entirely. The Congress was willing to accept the scheme but was unhappy that the Defence portfolio would remain with the Brits during the war, eventually rejected the scheme. S’s stock rose further.

Mesmerized by the false notions of its president Maulana Azad, the Congress Working Committee passed a resolution in April 1942 “That the Congress could not think in terms of compelling the people of any territorial unit to join the Indian Union against their declared and established will”. If it were not acceptance of Pakistan by the Congress! However, Babu Jagat Narayan moved his Akhand Bharat Resolution in May 1942 and got it passed at the AICC session. It was clear that the Congress wanted to divide India.