The British had to face some military setbacks during the early years of the World War II. This made for them the need for Indian support more pressing. Sir Stafford Cripps was sent to India by the then Prime Minister of Britain Sir Winston Churchill to explore possibilities of a compromise with the Indian political parties. Cripps discussed matters with the Indian leaders and published his proposals on March 30, 1942.
PROPOSALS OF THE CRIPPS MISSION
i. A Constituent Assembly consisting of Indian representatives shall be formed at the termination of the War.
ii. The Union of India will be given "Dominion Status". This implied complete internal independence within the framework of the British Commonwealth.
iii. Princely states will also be given representation in the Constituent Assembly.
iv. The British government shall be responsible for the implementation of the Constitution. The provinces will be given a right to opt out of the proposed Indian Union or retain their present status and join the federation under the new Constitution at a later stage.
v. Election for Provincial Assemblies will be held after the end of the War. Provincial Assemblies will elect members of the Constituent Assembly in a number equal to one tenth (1/10) of their respective strength.
vi. The British government will continue to run Indian affairs till the termination of War.
vii. Any proposals regarding amendments in this Plan shall not be entertained. The Plan shall have to be accepted or rejected totally.
Reaction
Major Indian parties, the Muslim League and the Congress, rejected the Cripps Proposals, obviously for different reasons. The Congress despised the prospects of India's disintegration, which the formula apparently promised. The Congress knew that the Government was under great stress due to her war engagements and it was a golden opportunity to build pressure on her to quit India.
The Muslim League rejected the Plan, simply because it stood for a federal India and did not grant her demand for Pakistan in clear terms.
