Question map
Which one of the following statements concerning the Freedom and Partition of India is NOT correct ?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect because British Prime Minister Clement Attlee's announcement on February 20, 1947, explicitly stated the British intention to transfer power to responsible Indian hands by a date not later than June 1948 [2]. This was a firm commitment to withdraw, rather than a refusal to transfer power. Statement 2 is correct; Lord Wavell had proposed a 'Breakdown Plan' involving a staged withdrawal from India, recommending a final deadline of March 31, 1948. Statement 3 is correct as Lord Mountbatten, upon replacing Wavell, significantly accelerated the timeline, eventually advancing the transfer date to August 15, 1947. Statement 4 is also correct; 'Plan Balkan', which proposed the decentralization of power to provinces, was abandoned after Jawaharlal Nehru vehemently opposed it, fearing it would lead to the 'Balkanization' of India, leading to the alternative June 3rd Plan.
Sources
- [1] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: Last Phase of Indian National Movement > Violent Clashes on Direct Action Day > p. 95
- [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 1: Historical Background > Indian Independence Act of 1947 > p. 8