Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 244
244 AHMADIYY AT had arrived at a working understanding with Mr Jinnah, the latter, not being satisfied with the arrangement insisted that Sir Sikandar's successor should fall into line with Mr Jinnah and should lead the Muslim members of his party into the Muslim League. Sir Khizar Hayat resisted this demand of Mr Jinnah and for a time the situation in the Punjab remained unsatisfactory from the point of view of the Muslim League. In the meantime the country was marching rapidly to- wards independence, and the Governor General, Lord Wavell, began to work hard to set up an Interim Govern- ment at the Centre, which should be composed of representa- tives of the Congress and the Muslim League. Difficulties were encountered and at one time it looked as if in the formation of the cabinet the Muslim League might be by- passed. This prospect seriously disturbed the Khalifatul Masih who moved personally to Delhi and was instrumental in creating a situation, in consultation with Mr Jinnah and with the co-operation and assistance of His Highness the Nawab of Bhopal, in which the way was opened for the Muslim League to be invited to join the Interim Government on terms acceptable to Mr Jinnah. In the spring of 1946, His Majesty's Government sent out a Commission, composed of three members of the Cabinet, to India to try to bring about a settlement between the Congress and the Muslim League. The Commission became known as the Cabinet Mission. It worked hard and unsparingly, and in the middle of the summer put forward a plan which, to the surprise of everyone, was accepted by both parties. Prime Minister Nehru, who was also President of the Congress, had, however, second thoughts on some of the features of the plan and announced an interpretation of certain paragraphs of the plan which the language was not capable of bearing. Mr Jinnah was outraged by this subterfuge and announced that unless Mr Nehru made it plain beyond doubt that the Congress would work the Cabinet Mission Plan according to its plain and true import, the Muslim league would not join in working the Plan. Thereupon, the Governor General,