The Congress ministries resigned in the seven provinces in 1939, because:

Answer: (d) None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct

The ministries resigned in protest against Britain's unilateral decision to involve India in the Second World War. The Viceroy did not consult Indian leaders, and talks on India's role in the war broke down. None of the reasons in (a), (b) or (c) was the cause.

• ✗ (a) Failure to form ministries elsewhere was not the reason for resigning. The resignations were a political protest over the war issue.
• ✗ (b) The Congress left wing (Socialists, Subhas Bose's group) was not what ended the ministries. They quit after negotiations with Viceroy Linlithgow on India's part in the war broke down.
• ✗ (c) Communal disturbances were not the trigger. The Congress wanted Britain to promise independence after the war. The British refused to concede the demand, and the ministries resigned in protest.
• ✓ (d) The actual cause was the war issue and the breakdown of talks with the Viceroy, which none of (a)–(c) mentions.

Remember · Congress ministries (1937–39) resigned in October–November 1939 in protest at India being dragged into the Second World War without consultation, after talks with Viceroy Linlithgow broke down.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part III, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)

Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2012, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). · Report an error