Q. Which one of the following was a reason for the failure of talks held at the Simla Conference in 1945?
(a) The Congress boycotted it.
(b) The Viceroy was indifferent to the demands of the Congress.
(c) The dominion status suggested by the Viceroy was not acceptable to both Congress and Muslim League.
(d) Jinnah insisted that all Muslim members of the Executive Council must be nominated by the Muslim League.
Ans: (c) The dominion status suggested by the Viceroy was not acceptable to both Congress and Muslim League.
Explanation: The correct answer is (c) The dominion status suggested by the Viceroy was not acceptable to both Congress and Muslim League.
The Simla Conference of 1945 was a crucial event in the lead-up to India’s independence. The conference aimed to bring together the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League, representing the major political forces of the time, to discuss the future of India.
However, the talks at the Simla Conference ultimately failed, and one of the key reasons was that the dominion status proposed by the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, was not acceptable to both the Congress and the Muslim League. The Congress, as well as the Muslim League, had differing visions for the future political structure of India.
The Congress, led by figures such as Jawaharlal Nehru, sought complete independence and a united India with a secular and democratic framework. On the other hand, the Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, demanded the creation of a separate nation for Muslims called Pakistan.
As the dominion status suggested by the Viceroy did not align with the respective aspirations of the Congress and the Muslim League, the talks failed to reach a consensus or agreement, contributing to the eventual partition of India and the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
