Indian Politics | MCQs

Explanation

Cabinet Mission was sent to India in February 1946.

They arrived in India on March 24, 1946.

The Cabinet Mission Plan was announced on May 16, 1946.

The plan was created by the Cabinet Mission, which was sent to India by British Prime Minister Clement Attlee to discuss transferring power from the British to the Indians.

The mission's members (3) were Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and A. V. Alexander. 

Explanation

The five ministers from the Muslim League for the interim Government were:

• Liaquat Ali Khan.
• Abdur Rab Nishtar.
• Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar.
• Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan.
• Jogendra Nath Mandal.

These members were joined at the request of Lord Wavell.

Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister 

Liaqat Ali Khan was assigned the portfolio of Finance

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Additional Information:

Lord Wavell wrote letters to Nehru and Jinnah on July 22, 1946, and invited them to join an “Interim Coalition Government.”

He suggested that there would be 14 members in the cabinet:

• 6 of them from Congress,
• 5 from the Muslim League,
• 3 would represent the minority parties

Explanation

• A Hindu organizational response to consolidate Hindu unity, often framed as countering Muslim solidarity.
• Deepened mutual suspicion and communal polarization.

Explanation

In the early phase of his political career, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan strongly advocated for Hindu-Muslim unity to ensure cooperation and peace under British rule.

He believed both communities could work together for the progress of India before later emphasizing Muslim identity separately.

Explanation

The Sharif Report (March 1939) was prepared by Mr. Sharif and his team to investigate injustices against Muslims under Hindu-dominated Congress rule.

It focused mainly on the ill-treatment of Muslims in Bihar, documenting discrimination and oppression by the provincial government.

Explanation

Lord Linlithgow (Viceroy of India, 1936–1944) had severely strained relations with Indian leaders during World War II due to:

Unilateral Declaration: He announced India’s entry into WWII (1939) without consulting Indian political parties, angering the Congress and Gandhi.

Quit India Movement (1942): His harsh crackdown on protests (mass arrests, violence) worsened tensions.

Failed Negotiations: Rejected demands for post-war independence, leading to the 1942 Cripps Mission’s collapse.

Explanation

Lord Wavell convened the Simla Conference in June 1945 to discuss India's political future.

The main issue was the representation of Muslims, but the talks failed due to disagreements between the Muslim League and Congress.

Explanation

The partition of Bengal was implemented in 1905, but it was not annulled during the Delhi Darbar.

In 1911, Delhi Durbar was held in India to celebrate the occasion when King George V was crowned in England.

The Delhi Durbar 1911 lasted for nine days.

This Durbar was historic for two reasons:

• one, it as the only one attended by the Emperor himself, and
• second, this was where the shifting of the Imperial Capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced.

Explanation

British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald created the Communal Award on 16 August 1932.

Also known as the MacDonald Award,

It was announced after the Round Table Conference (1930–1932) 

The background to the Poona Pact was the Communal Award of August 1932,

They provided a separate electorate for depressed classes.

In 1932, B.R. Ambedkar negotiated the Poona Pact with Mahatma Gandhi.

Explanation

• Self-government in India.
• Abolition of the Indian Council.
• 1/3rd representation to be given to Muslims in the Central Government.
• Separation of the executive from the judiciary.
• Salaries of the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs to be paid from British coffers and not the Indian funds.
• All elected members to be elected directly based on adult franchise. 4/5th of the members of the provincial legislatures to be elected and 1/5th to be nominated.
• The number of Muslims in the provincial legislatures to be laid down for each province.
• Separate electorates for all communities until a joint electorate is demanded by all.
• Introduction of a system of weightage for minority representation.
• Increasing the term of the Legislative Council to 5 years.
• Half the members of the Imperial Legislative Council to be Indians.
• Members of the Legislative Council elect their President themselves.