The Muslim League and the Indian National Congress were two largest political parties in the Constituent Assembly of India in the 1940s. The 1946 Cabinet Mission to India for planning of the transfer of power from the British Raj to India leadership proposed an initial plan of composition of the new Dominion of India and its Govt. However, soon an alternative plan to divide the British Raj into a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim majority Pakistan was proposed. The Congress rejected the alternative proposal outright.Muslim League planned general strike (hartal) on 16 th Aug to protwst this rejection , and to assert its demand for a separate Muslim homeland.
The protest triggered massive riots in Calcutta. In Calcutta, within72 hrs. more than 4,000 people lost their lives and 1,00,000 residents in the city of Calcutta were left homeless.The riots spread through Noakhali, Bihar, United Province, Punjab and the NWFP. But most dangerous it was in Calcutta and Noakhali.
Background:
After the WW II and the recent incidents that took place in India the British Govt. had to decide to transfer power from the British Raj to the leaders of the Indian union. In view of this the British Govt. sent a Cabinet Mission for negotiation. But the exchanges did not yield a good result and the govt proposed to set up an Interim Govt. At this Jinnah, the leader of the muslim league announced a Dircet Action Day.
