What were the Cabinet Mission's propsals: Clement Attlee (Labour Party leader) had insisted that the Mission did everything possible to maintain a united Inda - a united India that could play a key role in Britain's plan for security in Asia. This would seem to rule out a separate Pakistan.The three men (Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Staffod Cripps & A.V Alexander) arrived (march 1946) and stayed in India (more than 3 months) determined to break the deadlock between Congress and the Muslim League.
A second Simla Conference was held in May 1946 - the purpose was to work through the Cabinet Mission's proposals. This is what was proposed:
· an All-India Union, responsible for defence, foreign policy and internal communication, together with powers to raise finances to fund these these elements
· the All-India Union would be governed by an executive and legislature
· there would be three clusters of provincial governments:
o Congress’ Hindu heartland of Madras, Bombay, Orissa and the United & Central Provinces
o The Muslim & predominantly Muslim areas of Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province, Sind & Punjab
o Bengal & Assam, where the balance of religions was slightly in favour of the Muslims
· each provincial group would elect its own government to be responsible for the day-to-day running of provincial affairs.
· the All-India Union would comprise elected representatives form each provincial group
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