Cripps Mission

Cripps Mission was sent by the British Government in March, 1942 to India with key objective to secure Indian cooperation and support for British War Efforts. Headed by Sir Stafford Cripps, this mission sought to negotiate an agreement with Indian leaders.

Background

Year 1942 saw the advancement of British forces in India. Apart from that there was a pressure from the American President F. Roosevelt and Chinese premier Chiang Kai-Shek to concede the real political power to the people of India. The fall of Burma was enough to frighten the British and when the Japanese army began to knock the doors of India after Burma and Singapore, the war cabinet of Britain sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India on March 1942 to elicit cooperation from the Indians. It promised for the fulfillment of past promises to self government to Indian people.

Key Proposal

The proposal of the Cripps mission was that:

“India would be a dominion associated with the United kingdom”.

It promised that immediately after the war is stopped, steps would be taken up to set up an elected body charged with the task of making the constitution for India and provisions would be made so that the Indian states could participate in the framing of the constitution.

Important Facts on Cripps Mission

• Through the Cripps mission for the first time, British government recognized the “Right of Dominion’ for India.
• Indians were given promise of liberty to frame their own constitution.
• The Cripps mission which was a move to appease the Congress, Muslim League and Indian states at the same time was rejected by all of them.
• Gandhi wanted an undivided India, Muslim league wanted a separate Pakistan , Congress demanded a full control over defense “stating that a slave country cannot have any inspiration” .
• Muslim league said there was inadequate representation of Muslims.
• Sikhs rejected because of non accession of provinces.
• Hindu Mahasabha rejected because the “Pakistan Virus” was alive.
• The Dalits and depressed classed also rejected because there was nothing new for them.

Why Cripps Mission failed?

The main reasons for failure of Cripps mission include (1) its rejection by almost all political dispensations in the country (2) its proposals included no real transfer of power (3) the Viceroy and Secretary of State worked behind the door to sabotage the mission etc.