The British government sent in March 1946 a Cabinet Mission to India to negotiate with the Indian leaders the terms for the transfer of power to Indians. Sir Stafford Cripps, Pethick Lawrence and A.V.Alexander were the members of the Commission.
The Cabinet Mission proposed a two-tiered federal plan which was expected to maintain national unity while conceding the largest measure of regional autonomy. There was to be a federation of the provinces and the States, with the federal centre controlling only defence, foreign affairs and communications. . The provinces would enjoy full autonomy for all subjects except those of the Union. The provinces shall be free to form groups of their own for common purpose. The Plan suggested an Interin government enjoying the support of major political parties shall be formed at the earliest. The Interim government would convene Constituent Assebly to draft a constitution for India. The Plan had rejected the demand for Pakistan. The provision for provincial autonomy and grouping of provinces were meant to give Muslim League, the substance of Pakistan.
The Congress and the Muslim League accepted the proposals of the Cabinet Mission. But the two could not agree on the plan for an interim gvernment which would convene a constituent assembly to frame a constitution for the free, federal India. The Congress won 205/296 seats of the Constituent Assembly. Muslim League now resorted to Direct Action for Pakistan. The call for direct action was given in Calcutta on 16th August 1946. Muslim communal groups provoked communal frenzy in Calcutta streets. Hindu communal groups retaliated in equal measure and around 5000 people were killed in Great Calcutta killings. In September 1946, an Interim Cabinet, headed by Jawaharlal Nehru, was formed by the Congress. The Muslim League joined the Cabinet in October after some hesitation; but it decided to boycott the constituent Assembly. On February 1947, Clement Atlee, British Prime Minister, declared that the British could quit India by June 1948.
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