Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently hailed Assam’s first chief minister, Gopinath Bordoloi, for “standing up to his own party” and “saving Assam from being separated from the country.” In Guwahati on December 20, he recalled how, in 1946, a plan nearly pulled Assam into East Pakistan, and how Bordoloi’s defiance blocked it.
But what exactly was this plan? How did Congress, the Muslim League, and British leaders view it? And how did Gandhi and Nehru react? Here’s a clear breakdown of the 1946 Cabinet Mission Plan and Assam’s dramatic escape from partition.
The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946
By 1946, British rule in India was clearly ending. After World War II and Winston Churchill’s defeat, Prime Minister Clement Attlee sent a three-member Cabinet Mission to India: Lord Pethick-Lawrence (India Secretary), Sir Stafford Cripps, and A V Alexander, under Viceroy Lord Wavell.
Their goal: to keep India united while transferring power. The Cabinet Mission Plan, announced in May 1946, proposed a three-tier structure:
Grouping of provinces: India would be divided into three groups:
Group A: Hindu-majority provinces (Madras, Bombay, UP, Bihar, Central Provinces, Orissa).
Group B: Muslim-majority provinces in the west (Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Baluchistan).
Group C: Muslim-majority provinces in the east (Bengal and Assam).
Provincial autonomy: Each province would have its own legislature and government.
Weak central union: A minimal central government handling only defence, foreign affairs, and communications.
Crucially, provinces could opt out of their group after the first general elections. But until then, they were to be grouped, and the plan assumed that Assam would be grouped with Bengal in Group C.
The Threat to Assam: Group C and East Pakistan
Under the Cabinet Mission Plan, Assam was placed in Group C with Bengal. This grouping alarmed many in Assam, especially Assamese nationalists and the Congress leadership there.
Why? Because:
Bengal’s Muslim League was pushing hard for Pakistan. If Bengal joined Pakistan, Assam—grouped with it—could be pulled into what would become East Pakistan.
Assam’s diverse population (Assamese, Bengali, tribal, tea-garden communities) feared being submerged in a Muslim-majority East Pakistan.
In effect, the Cabinet Mission Plan created a backdoor route through which Assam could be detached from India and merged with East Pakistan, even if it did not vote for Pakistan directly.
Gopinath Bordoloi’s Stand: “Saving Assam from Separation”
Gopinath Bordoloi, then Premier (Chief Minister) of Assam and a senior Congress leader, saw this danger clearly. He argued that Assam’s identity, culture, and future lay with India, not with a Muslim-majority Pakistan.
According to PM Modi’s account, Congress at the national level was “going to become a part of that conspiracy” to erase Assam’s identity and allow it to be grouped with Bengal in a way that could lead to its separation.
Bordoloi, however, stood firm. He Refused to accept Assam’s automatic inclusion in Group C.
Insisted that Assam must remain a separate, integral part of India. He also mobilized public opinion and political pressure within Assam to resist any move that would link it to East Pakistan.
His resistance, Modi said, “saved Assam from being separated from the country.”
How Congress, Gandhi, and Nehru Reacted
At the national level, the Congress leadership was divided on the Cabinet Mission Plan:
Mahatma Gandhi: Initially supported the plan as a way to keep India united. He saw it as a compromise to avoid partition. However, he was deeply concerned about the grouping scheme and the possibility of provinces being forced into groups against their will. Gandhi’s emphasis was on unity, but he also stressed that no province should be coerced into a group.
Jawaharlal Nehru: Initially accepted the plan, but later made statements that alarmed the Muslim League. In July 1946, Nehru declared that Congress would treat the grouping scheme as optional and would not be bound by it after the first elections. This was seen by the Muslim League as a betrayal of the Cabinet Mission agreement, and it became one of the key reasons why the League withdrew from the plan and moved decisively toward demanding Pakistan.
Congress Working Committee: Accepted the plan in June 1946, but with reservations about the grouping. This ambiguity created confusion and ultimately weakened the Cabinet Mission’s chances of success.
In this context, Bordoloi’s stand in Assam was part of a broader struggle within Congress: between those who wanted to preserve India’s unity at all costs and those who, like Bordoloi, were determined to protect the integrity of specific regions like Assam.
What Happened After 1946?
The Cabinet Mission Plan ultimately failed. The Muslim League rejected it after Nehru’s statements, and the demand for Pakistan gained unstoppable momentum.
When Partition was finally decided in 1947:
Bengal was divided into West Bengal (India) and East Bengal (later East Pakistan, now Bangladesh).
Assam, thanks in large part to Bordoloi’s earlier resistance, remained a separate province within India.
Sylhet district of Assam voted to join East Pakistan, but the rest of Assam stayed with India.
Bordoloi’s role in 1946 is now remembered as a crucial moment in Assam’s history: a time when a leader defied party pressure and stood for the state’s identity and unity with India.
Q&A: Common Questions on the 1946 Plan
Q: Did the Cabinet Mission Plan actually propose to make Assam part of Pakistan?
A: Not explicitly. It proposed grouping Assam with Bengal in Group C, which created a real risk that Assam would be pulled into East Pakistan if Bengal joined Pakistan. Bordoloi’s stand was to prevent that indirect separation.
Q: Was Congress really “conspiring” to erase Assam’s identity, as Modi said?
A: At the national level, Congress accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan, including the grouping that placed Assam with Bengal. Bordoloi’s resistance shows that within Congress, there was strong opposition to any move that would threaten Assam’s place in India.
Q: How did Gandhi and Nehru view Assam’s future?
A: Gandhi wanted a united India and opposed forced grouping. Nehru’s later statements on optional grouping weakened the Cabinet Mission Plan but also gave provinces like Assam more room to resist being tied to Pakistan.
Q: Why is Bordoloi’s stand considered so important today?
A: Because he ensured that Assam’s distinct identity and territorial integrity were preserved at a critical moment, when the subcontinent was being divided along religious lines.
FAQ
Who was Gopinath Bordoloi?
Gopinath Bordoloi was the first Chief Minister of Assam (then Premier) and a key Congress leader who played a vital role in keeping Assam within India during the Partition.
What was the Cabinet Mission’s main goal?
To keep India united by creating a federal structure with grouped provinces and a weak central government, while transferring power from the British.
Did Assam ever vote on joining Pakistan?
No. Only Sylhet district of Assam voted in a referendum and joined East Pakistan; the rest of Assam remained with India.
How is Bordoloi remembered in Assam?
As a “Bharat Ratna”-like figure (though he never received the award) and a symbol of Assam’s unity and resistance to partition.
Gopinath Bordoloi’s 1946 stand remains a powerful chapter in Assam’s history. At a time when the subcontinent was being torn apart, his courage ensured that Assam stayed firmly within India.
