Cripps Mission 1942, Proposals, Failure, Members, UPSC Notes

The Cripps Mission was sent to India in 1942 by the British government during World War II to secure Indian support for the war. Led by Sir Stafford Cripps, the mission offered Dominion status and a post-war constitution-making body but retained British control over defence and the Viceroy’s powers.

Despite its intentions, the mission failed to satisfy key Indian political groups. Congress rejected it for delaying full independence, while the Muslim League opposed its vague stance on Pakistan. The failure intensified distrust, exposed communal divisions, and directly led to the launch of the Quit India Movement, accelerating India's path to freedom.

Cripps Mission Background

The fall of Singapore and Rangoon in World War 2 compelled Winston Churchill and the British war cabinet to send a high-powered mission to India under the supervision of Stafford Cripps. The mission aimed to win the cooperation of India with Britain vis-à-vis the war.

• The mission was formulated on 30 March 1942 with the offer of ‘Dominion Status’ for India. The mission was a complete failure, which angered the Indian nationalists, leading to the establishment of the Quit India Movement in 1942.
• Cripps Mission Viceroy: During the Cripps Mission of 1942, Lord Linlithgow (Victor Hope) was the Viceroy of India, serving from 1936 to 1943.

Cripps Mission Reasons

The Cripps Mission was sent to India in March 1942 against the backdrop of World War II, growing Japanese aggression, and increasing political unrest. The major reasons were:

• Japanese Threat: Japan’s rapid advance through Southeast Asia and the fall of Burma brought the war to India’s doorstep, making Indian cooperation essential for defence.
• Pressure from Allies: The United States, Soviet Union, and China pressured Britain to secure Indian political cooperation for the Allied war effort.
• Need for Indian War Support: Britain needed greater Indian political and military cooperation as the war intensified and wanted to strengthen India’s defence against Japan.
• Failure of August Offer (1940): The August Offer failed to satisfy Congress and other Indian leaders, creating the need for a fresh political proposal.
• Political Unrest: Growing anti-British sentiment, Congress’s dissatisfaction, and the Muslim League’s demand for Pakistan increased political instability.
• Individual Satyagraha: The Individual Satyagraha movement reflected continuing Congress opposition to Britain’s wartime policies and increased pressure for a political settlement.
• Atlantic Charter: The Atlantic Charter of 1941, with its emphasis on self-determination, increased international pressure on Britain to address India’s demand for freedom.

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Cripps Mission Purpose

The main purpose of the Cripps Mission was to secure Indian political cooperation and military support for Britain during World War II. It proposed Dominion status after the war while seeking immediate Indian cooperation against the Japanese threat and greater political participation in wartime administration.

Cripps Mission Members

The Cripps Mission was led by Sir Stafford Cripps, a senior British politician and member of the War Cabinet. Other prominent members of the mission included the Lord Privy Seal, Sir Reginald Maxwell.

Cripps Mission Proposals 

Based on the draft declaration prepared by the All India Committee, chaired by Attlee, Stafford Cripps came to India and proposed the following constitutional reforms: 

• Dominion status: The Cripps Mission proposed to create a new Indian Union with dominion status after the war, associated with the UK and other dominions, equal in every respect, domestic as well as external affairs.
• Constituent Assembly: Setting up a constitution-making body for India after the war, whose members would be elected by the provincial assemblies and nominated by the rulers in the case of the princely states. The constitution was to be drafted entirely by Indians.
• Right to secede for the provinces: There would be provisions for any British Indian Province unwilling to accept this Constitution to either maintain its current constitutional status or frame its own constitution.
  • Any province that refused to abide by the new Constitution could create its own union and constitution. 
  • The new Constitution-making body and the British government would negotiate a treaty to sort out matters arising out of the transfer of powers to Indian hands.
• Intact powers of the Viceroy: The Viceroy's authority would be unaffected, and British control over India's defence would continue until the war. After that, the dominion government could reorganise its own defence.

Cripps Mission Failure

The British had only undertaken this exercise to show the world that they cared about Indian sentiments rather than to do anything concrete. The Cripps Mission’s proposals fell short of appeasing Indian nationalists and ended up serving only as a US and Chinese propaganda tool. Various parties and organisations objected to the proposals on various grounds:

Cripps Mission Rejected By Gandhi

Gandhi called the Cripps Mission proposals a “Post-dated Cheque drawn on a failing bank”. This was due to the promise of granting dominion status after the end of the Second World War. 

Cripps Mission Rejected By Indian National Congress 

The right of the Princely States to send representatives to the Constituent Assembly and authority for the Provinces to opt out of the Indian Union was not well received by Congress. Congress wanted immediate independence and pan-India cooperation. The offer of “Dominion Status” was dead at that moment.

• Congress also wanted Indians to have full control over the defence.
• INC was against the provinces’ right to separately form unions, as this was damaging to national unity.
• The Congress Working Committee rejected Cripps’ proposals officially on 7 April 1942.

Cripps Mission Rejected By Muslim League 

The draft Declaration implicitly appeased the Muslim League demand for Pakistan by stating that any province unwilling to accept the constitution would be granted ‘the same status as the Indian Union'. Still, the League disagreed with the proposal because it did not make a clear statement supporting the establishment of a separate state for Muslims.

• Liberals and the Mahasabha also rejected the Cripps proposals, as they considered the secession proposals to be against the unity and security of India. 
• Other groups, such as Sikhs, Indian Christians, the Depressed Classes, and Anglo-Indians, did not find anything in the proposals for their interests. 

Cripps Mission Significance

The Cripps Mission was a critical turning point in India's struggle for independence. While it aimed to find a middle ground for India's future governance and cooperation during the war, it fell short of satisfying the aspirations of Indian leaders.

• A step ahead of the August Offer: Now, instead of "mainly" in Indian hands, as stated in the August Offer, the constitution-making process was to be “entirely” under the control of Indians.
  • There was a detailed plan offered for the constituent assembly. In the interim, a sizeable portion of the administration was made available to Indians.
• Elements of discord and disunity: Any province had the choice to create its own constitution, which served as the basis for India's division. It also had the provision for Free India to leave the Commonwealth.
• British could not step backwards: The British now realised that they could not go backwards from the offers made by the Cripps Mission in spite of its failure. 
  • The offers for Indians to have a national government, own constitutional-making body, etc., were too much for Churchill and Britain, given their imperialist nature. 
• Quit India Movement: Following the Cripps Mission's failure, the Quit India Movement demonstrated that Indian nationalists were no longer eager to wait for independence. 
  • The movement then surpassed all the earlier national movements in terms of popular participation and extent. 
  • It was now only a matter of time before British rule in India came to an end.

Cripps Mission Impact

Failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942 had a significant impact. It intensified the freedom struggle, exposed deep communal divisions, and further eroded trust between Indian leaders and British authorities.

• Catalyst for Quit India Movement: After the Cripps Mission failed, Gandhi introduced the Quit India Resolution at the Wardha Session. 
  • It was approved by the All India Congress Committee on August 8, 1942, authorizing a non-violent mass movement demanding British withdrawal from India.
• Erosion of Trust: The Mission's failure deepened mistrust between British authorities and Indian political leaders, reinforcing the demand for complete independence rather than incremental reforms. 
• Communal Divisions: The Proposal allowed provinces to opt out of the Indian Union, which underscored existing communal tensions and laid the groundwork for the eventual partition of India.

Cripps Mission UPSC PYQs 

Q1: With reference to the proposals of the Cripps Mission, consider the following statements: (UPSC Prelims 2022)

1. The Constituent Assembly would have members nominated by the Provincial Assemblies as well as the Princely States.
2. Any Province, which is not prepared to accept the new Constitution, would have the right to sign a separate agreement with Britain regarding its future status.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (c)

Q2: The plan of Sir Stafford Cripps envisaged that after the Second World War (UPSC Prelims 2016)

1. India should be granted complete independence.
2. India should be partitioned into two before granting independence.
3. India should be made a republic with the condition that she will join the Commonwealth.
4. India should be given Dominion status.

Ans: (d)