India marks its 79th Independence Day today on August 15, 2025. August 15, 1947 also marked India’s freedom from over 200 years of British colonial rule. However, post -independence, the partition happened that goes down into the annals of India’s history as one of the most painful events. It rendered innumerable people homeless and many had to bid a teary farewell to their loved ones as well. The Mountbatten Plan, also known as the 3 June Plan, marked the final blueprint for India’s independence from British rule. The partition of the country accompanied it into two dominions: India and Pakistan. Both Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammed Ali Jinnah agreed to this plan after realizing the inevitability of India’s partition. How both leaders agreed to the Mountbatten Plan? This space articulates the answer to this question.
History of the Mountbatten Plan
The then British Prime Minister Clement Atlee had entrusted the responsibility of transition of power from British rule to India to the Lord Mountbatten who had arrived in India as the final viceroy. In May 1947, Lord Mountbatten had suggested that the provinces in India should be recognized as independent successor states and also offered to participate or not in the constituent assembly. This approach was named the Dickie Bird Plan.
What was the reaction of Jawaharlal Nehru to the Dickie Bird Plan?
Jawaharlal Nehru was strongly opposed to this plan and also strongly criticised it, saying that it would lead to the Balkanization of the nation. This strategy came to be known as Plan Balkan due to this consequence. Balkanization refers to the process where a larger territory or political entity breaks down into smaller, often hostile, and independent units. This fragmentation is usually driven by ethnic, cultural, or political conflicts.
Mountbatten Plan was created after the criticism of Plan Balkan
After the criticism of Plan Balkan, Viceroy Lord Mountbatten came up with June 3 Plan, the final plan to achieve India’s freedom. This plan was eventually referred to as the Mountbatten plan. Mountbatten Plan or June 3 Plan comprised the concepts of partition, sovereignty of both countries, autonomy and the ability to enact their own constitutions. Eventually, the Congress, and the Muslim league approved this plan.
