A Brief Explanation of Wavell’s Plan
- The number of seats in the executive council was to be increased and the council will only consist of Indian members other than the Viceroy and the Commander in Chief who would be representing the British establishment.
- Equal representation was guaranteed to both Muslims, Caste Hindus, Sikhs, Depressed classes, etc. Six of the fourteen seats were given to Muslim members.
- The role of British officials and the transfer of power was clarified in the plan. The Viceroy would have the veto power but assured that its use would be minimal. The foreign relations portfolio would be transferred to an Indian member and the affairs related to Defence would continue to be taken care of by the British officials until the complete transfer to a new Indian army.
- That meeting was to be convened between the INC and AIML to nominate members to the new executive council.
- Wavell wanted decentralization of power, where the executive council at the center would grant the provision for similar executive councils to be formed at the local level consisting of local leaders in each province.
- It was assured that this plan was to ensure the smooth transition of power and in no way would influence prejudice of any kind in drafting the individual Indian constitution. The larger objective Wavell wished to achieve was the unity of the provinces and under no circumstances allow the creation of a state on communal differences.
- However, Wavell was unable to create a common consensus over the presented plan. The primary reason for the failure was the expected disagreement between INC and AIML, more specifically the disagreement between Gandhi and Jinnah. Lord Wavell left a remark in his journal about the stubbornness of both leaders stating that “Gandhi and Jinnah are behaving like very temperamental prima donnas.”
When did the Wavell Plan Propose?
- The Wavell Plan was proposed in 1945 by Viceroy Lord Wavell.
- It aimed to grant significant power to India and reorganize the Executive Council to include representation for Hindus, Muslims, and other minorities.
- The plan suggested appointing an Indian member to handle foreign affairs.
- Despite these efforts, the plan did not resolve the political deadlock and faced limited acceptance.
Wavell Plan and Shimla Conference
Wavell Plan and Shimla Conference: Sir Archibald Wavell succeeded Lord Linlithgow as Viceroy of India in September 1943, appointed by Winston Churchill during a period of unrest between the British Empire and advocates of Indian independence. As a former Commander in Chief of India, Wavell brought insight into the pressing issues of the time.
The Simla Conference of 1945, held during Wavell’s tenure, gathered notable figures from India’s freedom movement to discuss post-independence roles and representation. Despite the conference’s aim to address these issues, it failed to reach a consensus, serving instead to amplify individual community demands, ultimately leading to its failure.