Q. Lord Mountbatten came to India as Viceroy along with specific instructions to
(a) balkanize the Indian sub-continent
(b) keep India united if possible
(c) accept Jinnah’s demand for Pakistan
(d) persuade the Congress to accept partition
Ans: (b) keep India united if possible
Explanation: The correct answer is (b) keep India united if possible.
Lord Mountbatten came to India as the last Viceroy and Governor-General in 1947 with the specific instructions to keep India united if possible. The British government, through the Mountbatten Plan, aimed to transfer power to a united and independent India. Mountbatten was tasked with overseeing the transition and facilitating negotiations between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League to reach a consensus on the future of India.
While Mountbatten did work towards maintaining India’s unity, the growing communal tensions and the insistence of the Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, on the creation of a separate Muslim state, eventually resulted in the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan. Mountbatten had to navigate the complexities of the situation and oversee the partition process, which led to the formation of two separate nations, India and Pakistan, in August 1947.
It’s worth noting that although Mountbatten aimed to keep India united, the eventual partition was a result of various political and communal factors, rather than solely his personal influence or intentions.
