The Cabinet Mission published its plan on 16 May 1946. This is called 'Cabinet Mission Plan' and 'United India Scheme' also say. By this it was proposed to create a federal constitution for the future Union of India, under which the future Union of India was to be arranged. The proposed union was to have all three organs of government - the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.
The union was to include 11 provinces of British-India and all 565 princely states. The jurisdiction of the central government was to be limited to defence, external affairs and communications. All the remaining subjects and rights were to remain with the princely states. The number of representatives of the princely states in the Legislative Council was not to exceed 93, which was to be decided by negotiation. The communal question was to be decided by the members of that sect only. The rest of the subjects were to be the rights of the states.
The Cabinet Mission Plan proposed to divide the British-provinces into 'A', 'B' and 'C' groups or categories. The first i.e. 'A' group consisted of Hindu majority provinces- Madras, Bombay, Central Provinces and Berar, United Provinces, and Bihar. The second group, the 'B' group, consisted of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and the North-West Frontier Province with a majority of Muslims. The third group i.e. 'C' was Bengal and Assam where Muslims had a small majority.
All these three divisions were entitled to make constitution for their group. A provision was also made that these provinces would be able to form factions together. Provision was made to review the arrangements made under this scheme after every 10 years. Regarding the states, the Cabinet Mission said that with the attainment of British-India independence, the existing relations between the British Crown and the native states would end.
The British government would neither hold supreme power in its hands nor transfer it to the new government. Their rights will be returned to the states. Therefore, the native states should settle their future situation by negotiating with the successor Indian government. That is, the princely states could join the Indian Union on their own terms or could stay outside India. The idea of the Cabinet Mission was that if 'Ek-Sattva-Bharat' If created, the princely states will become a powerful third force.
On 17 May 1946, Nawab Bhopal wrote a letter to Lord Wavell, seeking assurance from the Cabinet Mission that on the question of communalism, the states would be able to form one or more groups on their own terms. The states will have the right to call for the revision of the federal constitution every 10 years.
The Constituent Assembly should not have the right to discuss or make any recommendations regarding the type of government or ruling dynasty in the states. Before implementing the decision or recommendation regarding the states in the Constituent Assembly, it will be necessary to ratify it by the respective states.
Seed of Freedom from Suffering
Thus the Cabinet Mission made it clear that independent India would not have only two pieces, but three pieces in the form of groups A, B and C and the fourth piece would also be of the indigenous-states which would be one or more even five hundred and sixty five. Could have happened. According to Indian leaders, the plan of grouping of provinces announced by the Cabinet Mission could prove to be very dangerous and dangerous for the unity and integrity of the Indian Union.
This declaration gave equal status to the native rulers with the interim government to be formed in the future. The Congress was displeased with this situation and had already said that the Cabinet Mission Plan proposed a weak center with only the rights of defence, foreign and communication to the Center. By dividing the country into groups A, B and C, the concept of Pakistan with borders as defined by the Muslim League has been reinforced.
The Congress believed that the grouping of provinces would allow the provinces to choose a suitable group for themselves or to stay out of the group, while the Muslim League believed that the provinces would be required to join the group assigned to them.
On the proposals of the cabinet plan, Gandhiji said that- 'This is the seed of freeing this country full of sorrow-pain from deprivation and misery. There is nothing better they could have done in the present situation.'