UPSC Prelims 2010 Q122: Modern History – Constitutional Developments & British Plans (1909 - 1947)
Who among the following were official Congress negotiators with Cripps Mission ?
- (a) Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel
- (b) Acharya J. B. Kripalani and C. Rajagopalachari
- (c) Pandit Nehru and Maulana Azad
- (d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
Answer: (c) Pandit Nehru and Maulana Azad
Explanation
Who were the official Congress negotiators with the Cripps Mission
The Cripps Mission (1942) involved specific Congress representatives in negotiations with the British delegation.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel | Incorrect | Gandhi was not directly an official negotiator in these specific talks |
| (b) Acharya J.B. Kripalani and C. Rajagopalachari | Incorrect | While both were prominent Congress leaders, they were not the specific official negotiators in this instance |
| (c) Pandit Nehru and Maulana Azad | Correct | Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (then Congress President) served as the official Congress negotiators with the Cripps Mission |
| (d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai | Incorrect | Neither was the specific official negotiator in this episode |
Cripps Mission, 1942:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| British envoy | Sir Stafford Cripps |
| Official Congress negotiators | Nehru and Maulana Azad |
| Outcome | Talks failed, leading eventually to the Quit India Movement |
Answer: (c) Pandit Nehru and Maulana Azad.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Gandhi and Patel were not the specific official negotiators in these talks.
- (b) Incorrect. Kripalani and Rajagopalachari, though prominent, were not this episode's designated negotiators.
- (c) CORRECT. Nehru and Maulana Azad were the official Congress negotiators with the Cripps Mission.
- (d) Incorrect. Rajendra Prasad and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai were not the specific negotiators here.
Key point
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad served as the official Congress negotiators with the Cripps Mission in 1942.
Remember
Official Congress negotiators with the Cripps Mission: Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Azad.
Common mistakes
- Assuming Gandhi, as the movement's overall leader, must have been a direct negotiator in every episode.
- Confusing different prominent Congress leaders' specific roles across various negotiation episodes.
- Not knowing Maulana Azad's role as Congress President during this specific mission.
Exam tip
Cripps Mission (1942) negotiators: Nehru and Maulana Azad — a specific, often-tested pairing distinct from Gandhi's broader leadership role.
Sources
- NCERT — Modern Indian History, the Cripps Mission, 1942
- Nicholas Mansergh (ed.) — The Transfer of Power 1942–7, Volume I: The Cripps Mission (Her Majesty's Stationery Office)