Aravali Model United

Nations
2014

The Historic Indian

Cabinet
Background guide

The Chairs Address

The Executive Board

The Executive Board for The Historic Indian Cabinet shall be
composed of three members-

The Chair- Shivam Bakshi

The Director- Prakarsh Pandey
The Rapporteur- Priyanka Oza

Table of Contents
1) The Agenda
2) The Rise of Communalism in India
Early Apathetic Policy of the British
Aligarh Movement
Partition of Bengal of 1905
Morley-Minto Reforms
Hindi-Urdu Controversy
Jinnahs Two Nation Theory and the Pakistan
Resolution
The Cabinet Mission Plan and Direct Action Day
3) The Way Ahead
4) In the Event of Partition
Appointment of a Boundary Commission
Division of Assets and Liabilities
Division of the Army
Communal Problem
Migration of People
Communications Between the Two Dominions
5) If Partition is not Undertaken
Undemocratic Political Systems
A Weak Federation
Curbing Communalism
Problem of Princely States
6) In Conclusion

The Agenda
At this years Aravali Model United Nations, the agenda that will
be simulated at the final conference in the Historic Indian Cabinet
will be The Partition of India. The Committee will take place in
March 1947, after Clement Attlees announcement on the 20th of
February that the British Government would grant complete
independence to British India. However, the formation of a
separate Muslim as proposed by the Muslim League, which had
been rejected by the Cabinet Mission of 1946, had not been
touched upon in this announcement. It is up to the committee to
decide whether partition must be undertaken, if at all.
The demand for a separate state for the Muslims is not suprising
regarding the wide spread of baneful communalism in India under
the British Rule, which was only aggravated by the favored British
Policy of Divide and Rule.
Many factors influenced the rise of communalism in India. Some
of them are elucidated below.

The Rise of Communalism

in India

Communalism can broadly be defined as a deep attachment to

ones ethnic or religious group rather than the society as a whole.
India, being a country of many religions and cultures, has been
prone to communalism and communal violence. The British
managed to exploit this fact and sow the seeds of communalism
through alternate promotion and repression of the Hindu and
Muslim masses. The factors that influenced communalism in India
under the colonial yoke are as follows-

Early Apathetic Policy of the British

The conquest of India by the British ended the glorious reign of
the Mughal Empire. During the Great Revolt of 1857, Bahadur
Shah Zaffar II, the Mughal Emperor of that time, as the Emperor
of India. With the suppression of the Great Revolt, the British
started to consider the Muslims as their traditional enemies.
The systematic suppression of the Muslims involved treating them
with scorn and contempt. Thus, communalism emerged amongst
the Muslim masses as a direct result of their fight for protection
and survival.

Aligarh Movement
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was the founder of the Aligarh Movement
in India. Its objective was to educate the Muslims of South Asia
after the suppression of the Revolt of 1857, and instill in them a
desire for western education and culture.
The Aligarh Movements most significant achievement was the
establishment of The Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College at
Aligarh in 1875. It later grew into the Aligarh Muslim University.

Sir Syed did a lot to arouse patriotic sentiments in India. He

referred to Hindus and Muslims as the two eyes of the bride that
was India. However, in the 20th century, after the Hindi-Urdu
Controversy, he was a completely changed man. He severely
criticized the Indian National Congress by calling it a Hindu
Organisation. This greatly hurt the political advancement of
Indian Muslims as the Congress was the only political body at that
time with a nation-wide base. Moreover, he preached that the
success of the Congress meant suppression of the Muslims. He
therefore stated that the only way to raise the status of the Muslim
population in India would be to promote loyalty, approval and
support of the British Government in India. This strengthened the
communalistic forces that were creating a divide between the
Hindus and Muslims in India.

Partition of Bengal of 1905

The provincial state of Bengal had an area of 18900 square
kilometers and a population of nearly 80 million people. The
rampant upsurge of Bengali Nationalism and the increased efforts
of the Indian National Congress to attain independence for India
posed great threats to the British Government. The Government
decided to eliminate both these threats when Lord Curzon
decided to carry out the Partition of Bengal in 1905.
The execution of the partition resulted in two new provinces, a
Muslim majority eastern province, and a Hindu majority western
province. His official objective was given as relieving the Bengali
administration. However, a main objective accomplished at this
point was the fact that he wished to divide the population on

religious grounds, quelling the rise in secularism and nationalism

in Bengal.

Morley-Minto Reforms
In 1906, Lord Minto, the Viceroy, had appointed the Arundale
Committee to look in to recommendations for the expansion of the
legislative councils of India. The Muslims, therefore decided to
present an address to the Viceroy.
The new Principal of the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College,
Mr. Archbold, aided the deputation with respect to the subject
matter of the address. He suggested that there should be a deep
distrust in the current system of elections to the Legislative
Councils as numerically, Muslims were a minority in the country.
To remedy this, he suggested a system of election where
communities would serve as a basis for representation.
Accordingly, a deputation, led by Sir Aga Khan, waited upon the
Viceroy on the 1st of October, 1906. Their demand for separate
electorates was heard. Lord Minto assured them that the political
rights and interests of the Muslims will be duly safeguarded.
In the Government of India Act of 1909, separate representation
of Muslims in the Imperial Legislative Council and the Provincial
Legislative Council was made for. This system of separate
representation meant a system of separate electorates. This
implied that Hindus would vote for Hindu candidates to the
legislature, and Muslims would vote for Muslim Candidates to the
Legislature. This mechanism was further strengthened during the
Mantagu-Chelmsford reforms of 1919.

Hindi-Urdu Controversy
With the decline of the Mughal Empire, Urdu had emerged as the
most common language in north and north-western India. It was
regarded as the language of Persian nobility, and as a result
became an official language with the courts and other government
offices.
However, in 1876, some Hindus began to demand that Hindi
should be made an official language instead of Urdu, and that the
Preso-Arabic script should be replaced by the Devanagri Script.
This situation provoked the Muslims to come out and defend their
language. The growth of the movement to replace Urdu with Hindi
made it clear to the Muslims that the Hindu community was not
going to tolerate their language or their culture.
In U.P., on 8th April, 1900, Government instructions made it so that
Government offices and courts should entertain petitions and
documents written in Hindi and the Devanagri script as well as in
Urdu and the Preso-Arabic Script. The equal stature given to Urdu
and Hindi soured the relations between Muslim and Hindu
communities in North India.

Jinnahs Two Nation Theory and the

Pakistan Resolution

The Two Nation Theory, introduced by Muhammad Ali Jinnah to

India in Lahore, on March 22nd, 1940, asserts that Hindus and
Muslims are not two religions in the truest sense of the word. In
fact, they are two distinct Nationalities. He went on two say that
the two religions, draw their roots from different civilizations, have
different heroes and enemies, different epics, stories and derive
inspiration from different sources of history. By saying this, he
implied that putting these two nationalities inside one border,
where one is at a numerical minority and one is at a majority can
only lead to discontent and destruction of the country.
On the last day of the Lahore Session of the Muslim League, they
passed a resolution, popularly known as the Pakistan Resolution.
It demanded that the areas in which Muslims are numerically in a
majority such as in the North-West and East of British India
should be grouped to constitute independent states in which the
constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.
It was on this day that the Muslim League made a formal demand
for partition and a separate nation.

The Cabinet Mission Plan and Direct

Action Day
In wake of the Bombay, Calcutta and Madras mutinies by the
Indian Navy, the Government sent the Cabinet Mission Plan to
India in 1946. It was consisted of Lord pethick-Lawrence, Sir

Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander. The Viceroy, Lord Wavell, did
not participate.
Formed at the initiative of the British Prime Minister, Clement
Attlee, the Cabinet Mission Plan aimed to plan and formulate the
transfer of power from the British Government to Indian
leadership.
On the 16th of May, 1946, a plan was made that would create a
united dominion of India as a loose confederation of its provinces.
An important feature of the Plan of May 16th was that provinces
would be grouped together according to the religion of their
population.
The Congress rejected the Plan of May 16th, as the grouping of
Muslim Majority provinces was not acceptable to it. However, this
formed the basis of the Leagues acceptance of the plan, as it
was a part of the political safeguards envisioned by them in postBritish Indian Law. The Congress and the League were now at an
impasse and the Cabinet Mission Plan decided to resolve this by
formulating The Plan of June 16th.
The Plan of June 16th proposed the formation of a Hindu majority
India and a Muslim Majority India, later to be renamed Pakistan. It
also made provisions for the Princely States to accede to either
dominion or attain complete independence. The Congress did not
accept this plan as it would divide India into many independent
states, but agreed to join the constituent assembly to frame the
constitution of a United Democratic India. The League on the
other hand, accepted the Plan of June 16th as it agreed to the
formation of Pakistan.

The Viceroy began making arrangements to transfer power to a

League-Congress coalition. However, Muhammad Ali Jinnah
severely criticized the Congress conditional and hesitant approval
and rescinded the Muslim Leagues approval of both the plans.
Thus, only the Congress formed the new government.
Jinnah and the All India Muslim League denounced the
government and started to agitate for Pakistan by any means
possible. Jinnah declared August 16 as Direct Action Day. On this
day, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim Mobs began clashing routinely and
violently. The task of retaining peace and order was left to the
Governors of the provinces, who did nothing. 5000 people were
killed all across India. The Viceroy, Lord Wavell advised Nehru to
invite the Muslim League to join the Interim Government of India.
Nehru accepted this and invited the Muslim League in hopes of
maintaining communal peace and tranquility in India.
The Muslim League thus joined the Interim Government under the
Leadership of Liaqat Ali.

The Way Ahead

Delegates, you are the currently the Indian Cabinet. You people
have been given a tremendous task with far reaching
consequences-political and geographical. The Indian Cabinet
must now decide whether to accede to the All India Muslim
Leagues demands for a separate state for Muslims, or whether
the Cabinet must try and keep the dream of a United Democratic
India alive.
However, while discussing whether partition should be undertaken
or not, many factors need to be discussed to make sure that the
decision undertaken by the cabinet is in the best interests of all
Indians, whether they be a minority or a majority in this country.

In the Event of Partition

In the event of the Partition of British India into two new
dominions, the following factors need to be taken into account-

Appointment of a Boundary
Commission
The appointment of a Boundary Commission would perhaps be
one of the first steps to be undertaken by the Cabinet in the event
of partition. This commissions main purpose would be to

demarcate the boundaries or borders between the two new

dominions. It is imperative that the composition of this
commission provides representation to all communities and
religious groups whose lands will be divided by the partition. The
committee must also decide whether regional boundary
commissions must be formed for the west and the east of India, or
whether a single commission may suffice for the whole of British
India.
The Boundary Commission will also have to decide whether
whole provinces will have to secede from India, or if individual
districts can secede out of their provinces and into the two new
dominions. This is particularly pertinent in the case of the Sylhet
District in Assam which assumes a Muslim majority, whereas the
rest of the province assumes a Hindu majority.

Division of Assets and Liabilities

The division of financial assets and liabilities between the two
dominions is an extremely delicate topic. The Indian Cabinet
needs to take a decision on which financial body should be
responsible for this division.
The Cabinet must also resolve (or appoint a committee to resolve)
various issues relating to currency and coinage arrangements and
management of exchange and public debt of the new dominion.
Before the Central Bank of the new dominion can be formed, the
Committee must establish a banking institution or a monetary
authority to work as the Central Bank of the new dominion and

perform all of its functions. The division of the profits of the

Reserve Bank of India is another problem that needs resolution in
the event of partition.

Division of the Army

If partition is decided on, the division of the British Indian Army
between the two new dominions would have to take place. The
Indian Cabinet is tasked with determining the ratio in which the
formations, units, assets and indigenous personnel of the British
Indian Army have to be divided, so that each dominion gets
sufficient personnel to maintain law and order post partition.
Steps must also be taken to protect the interests of British
Officers who may be left behind in the country post partition.
Arrangements for their safe and swift removal from the country
must be made.

Communal Problem
The partition of India might reduce communal violence in the long
run, but at the moment, a effective solution to this problem is
needed. Even after partition, the amount of Hindus in the new
dominions would be sizeable, and the Muslim population in India
would still be a lot. Moreover, dividing the country based largely
on religion forms the essence of communalism.
Taking the example of Punjab, the western part of the state
including the cities of Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan have a large
Hindu and Sikh population. But in the east of Punjab, the areas
around Amritsar and Ludhiana primarily have a Muslim

population. Thus, the communal problem in Punjab would still

persist even after splitting Punjab into two.

Migration of People
The formation of the new dominions would surely result in a
migration of people into them-Muslims into Pakistan and Hindus
into India across the western and eastern borders of the proposed
dominion. This huge influx of refugees into both dominions will
have to be sustained until they can resettle into neighboring
states.
The formation of refugee camps would be imperative in this
regard, especially in the areas of Sindh, Punjab and Bengal,
where major population interchange could take place. The
Cabinet should also encourage various employment generation
and primary education schemes which will aid in the rehabilitation
of refugees crossing the borders.

Communications Between the Two

Dominions
Lastly, if the Partition of India is favored, communication between
Pakistan and East Bengal, the parts of the proposed dominion
would be troublesome. The geographical distance between them
would be more than 2000 kilometers. The telegraph system, the
only established method of quick long distance communication

would have to be rebuilt, as the British laid telegraph lines for the
whole of British India, and the partition of British India would in
effect dismantle the telegraph system. Therefore, communication
between West Pakistan and East Bengal would have to arranged,
and would largely depend on the assistance of the Indian
Government.

If Partition is Not
Undertaken
In the event that the Cabinet can reach the consensus of
maintaining a united India, the following considerations need to be
made.

Undemocratic Political Systems

The Indian National Congress opposed tooth and nail the MorleyMinto reforms of 1909, which introduced the system of separate
electorates. The Muslim League however considered it a political
safeguard because Muslims were a numerical minority in the
country.
The committee will have to reach a compromise between the
Congress and the Muslim League with respect to this legislative
measure, if India is truly to evolve undivided and secular.

A Weak Federation
An undivided India would give birth to a huge independent nation
that would cover an area of almost 4 million square kilometers.

The governance of such a nation would require an extremely

strong and efficient government constituted of representatives of
all communities. However, the usually conflicting views of the
Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League would
make legislation in a parliamentary form of government grind to a
halt.
Thus, the committee needs to ensure that, before making the
decision to forego partition, any and all disruptive forces to good
governance are eliminated.

Curbing Communalism
With the British pledging to leave India, their Divided and Rule
policy shall no more be the cause of communal riots. However,
communalism will continue to persist in an undivided India. The
Cabinet must take substantial steps to prevent the rise and
spread of communalistic forces in an independent India.

Problem of Princely States

The Princely States are territories over which the British have
suzerainty. However, the hereditary rulers of the state have full
control over the workings of the state. This means that they are
not a part of British India and will not automatically be a part of
independent India.
The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 gave Princely States the right
to assert their independence. But most princely states are of the

mindset that they will accede into India if no partition happens,

and into either of the dominions, in the event of partition. Yet,
some princely states have not given any intention of acceding to
any dominion or country, such as Kashmir, Hyderabad, Tripura
and Manipur. The Congress hoped for a United Democratic
India, but that dream will be impossible if accession by the
Princely States is not achieved.
The Cabinet is therefore tasked with the duty of coaxing the
princely states into accession. If this is not achieved, India could
find its self at war with these princely states, which should be
avoided at all costs.
If accession is achieved, the Cabinet must proceed to secure and
extend the Indian Governments authority over these states and
bring parity in the administration of these states with respect to
the administration of other provinces.

In Conclusion
Members of the Indian Cabinet, you have been tasked with
discussing the Partition of British India. However, various hurdles
block your path to achieving your goal of either partition or a
United India. However the competence with which you navigate
these hurdles shall determine the geo-political future of the Indian
Subcontinent.
At this point, you will have to rely on your presence of mind and
awareness to excel in a testing environment when India is rife
with communalistic riots and unrest. We can only hope that the
solution you choose to employ as the Indian Cabinet will serve the
needs, necessities and aspirations of all communities, religions
and ethnicities that are a part of British India.