Q: How successful were negotiations aimed at Independence during the Second World War? Explain your answer.

During the Second World War, several negotiations pointing towards independence were taken. Firstly, the Muslims celebrated the Day of Deliverance when the Congress Ministers retired from the ministries which marked the breakdown of relations between Congress and Muslims. Nehru stated that there were to be no common grounds for the both communities living in India. Muslim League was successful in Lahore where huge crowd of people gathered when Lahore Resolution was passed which called towards separate independent state for Muslims. Sir Stafford Cripps, leading a top-level delegation came to India to negotiate about the independence. He stated that India, after the war, was to be a dominion where there was to be no separate Muslim state and provinces could opt out of their federations. Congress and Muslims both rejected the demands as there was no mark of separate Muslim state and Congress called for immediate independence. Meanwhile in 1942, Gandhi, disappointed with the British behavior, started non-violent to eradicate British out of Subcontinent protest following the arrest of Congress heads including Gandhi, Nehru and other prominent figures. Following in May 1944, Gandhi was released from prison and met Jinnah throughout September in Bombay. The talks broke out however Jinnah said after these talks were not a complete failure as Gandhi now considered them an important organization. As it looked that Second World War was coming to an end, Lord Wavell flew to London to consult British about its future policy in India. British intended to leave India but what they wanted was an agreement on what should happen when they left. So Simla Conference was held where representatives from different parties were present. The conference at first made some ground. But it failed due to Jinnahs stance at conference when he objected that if Sikhs were included when Muslims and Hindus were equal as this would mark permanent Muslim minority. Thus the negotiations aimed at independence during the Second World War failed badly.