Assertion (A): According to the Wavell Plan, the number of Hindu and Muslim members in the Executive Council was to be equal.
Reason (R): Wavell thought that this arrangement would have avoided the partition of India.
Code:
(a) Both (A ) and (R) are individually true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are individually true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
I.A.S. (Pre) 2007
Ans. (c)
Explanation – In October, 1943 Lord Wavell, who had succeeded Lord Linlithgow as Viceroy, made an attempt to resolve the deadlock in India. He went to England for consultation in March, 1945. There he thoroughly discussed with British Government about Indian administration and made some proposals. In June 1945. his proposals were made public by the name of Wavell Plan. He proposed restructuring of the Governor-General’s Executive Council, which would have balanced the representation of the main communities, including equal proportions of Muslims and Hindus. All the portfolios except Defence were to be held by Indian members including foreign department. The Wavell Plan proposed an equal representation of Hindu and Muslim in the Executive Council Apart from Viceroy and Commander in chief in the Executive Council, all members were Indian.
Thus it is clear that the Wavell Plan was intended to remove the deadlock on Constitutional matters and political issues and to promote the self-governance for Indians but never intended to unite the Hindu-Muslim to avoid partition of India.
Thus the statement is true, but the Reason is false.
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The Wavell Plan
The idea was to reconstruct the governor-general’s executive council pending the preparation of a new constitution. For this purpose, a conference was convened by the viceroy, Lord Wavell, at Shimla in June 1945. The main proposals of the Wavell Plan were as follows:
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