With reference to the proposals of Cripps Mission, consider the following statements:

1. The Constituent Assembly would have members nominated by the Provincial Assemblies as well as the Princely States.

2. Any Province, which is not prepared to accept the new Constitution would have the right to sign a separate agreement with Britain regarding its future status.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Civil Services Exam Official 2022 Prelims General Studies held on 5th June

Answer 1

The correct answer is 2 only.

Key PointsCripps Mission

In order to get the support of India in world war II, Cripps Mission was sent to India in 1942.

Main Proposals of this mission are:

Dominion status to India after the war.
Constitution-making body after the war.
Members of this assembly would be partly elected by the provincial assemblies through proportional representation and partly nominated by the princes. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
Constitution so framed would be acceptable by the British Government only if certain province desires to stay away from the Union of India.
Any province which wouldn't accept the new constitution would have the right to sign a separate agreement with the British. Hence, statement 2nd is correct.
Negotiations between Cripps and the Congress leaders broke down. The Congress objected to the provision for Dominion Status rather than full independence, the representation of the princely states in the constituent assembly not by the people of the states but by the nominees of the rulers, and above all by the provision for the partition of India.
The British Government also refused to accept the demand for the immediate transfer of effective power to the Indians and a real share in the responsibility for the defence of India. An important reason for the failure of the negotiations was the incapacity of Cripps to bargain and negotiate.