Q. Why did the Cabinet Mission of 1946 rejected the Muslim League’s demand for a separate state for Pakistan?
Answer: The Cabinet Mission felt that a separate state would contain larger proportion of Non-Muslim population and a sizable population of Muslims will be left in India, if two states are declared.
Notes: One of the main reasons of rejection of Pakistan was somewhere linked to the justice to the Non Muslims particularly Sikhs. The Mission had the views that the larger part of the proposed Pakistan including the Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan , NWFP and Bengal would have a large number of Non Muslims. Then a smaller truncated Pakistan was also give thought but it was also rejected because , it was thought that Sikhs would be cut in two parts and their clusters of populations will get scattered around the borders. Though, still the Mission could not placate the Sikhs who thought that even though a nominal gesture of recognition of them as a major community of India was there, they were going to be left to the Muslims dominated groups.
The above question is part of 35000+ General Studies MCQ Series Course on GKToday Android app.
