What was one major effect of Direct Action Day in 1946 on the process leading to independence?

Correct answer: It intensified communal tension and violence, making the political crisis more severe

Direct Action Day was observed on 16 August 1946, followed by severe communal violence, especially in Calcutta. The violence deepened communal divisions and made an already difficult political settlement more urgent; it was one factor in the crisis preceding Partition, not its sole cause.