Were the Gandhi-Jinnah talks the most important factor during the 1940s that led to the partition of the sub-continent in 1947? Give reasons for your answer.
Answers
Answer:
Gandhi and Jinnah held talks about a Muslim homeland but failed to reach agreement since Jinnah wanted all six provinces included in Pakistan whereas Gandhi only agreed to three. Nevertheless it was an important meeting since Gandhi had been forced to negotiate with the Muslim League on an equal footing for the first time. However they were not the only factor which was important in leading to eventual Partition at the Simla Conference, the Viceroy realised that the two parties were unable to reach agreement on anything. Although all parties agreed to the principle of the Executive Council, the sticking point was the method of selection.
Following the Conference, Lord Wavell announced new elections. The results demonstrated that the Congress had control of the non-Muslim votes but that the League had equally gained control of the Muslim vote. It was clear that the League was an equal player to the Congress and that the demand for Partition could no longer be ignored by the Congress or the British Government. However it was following the announcement by Attlee that the British would leave the sub-continent by 1948 and the subsequent violence in the Punjab in March 1947 that convinced Nehru that Partition should take place quickly. This was formalised in the 3 June Plan.
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