August Offer

Hitler’s astounding success and the fall of Belgium, Holland and France put England in a conciliatory mood. As the war in Europe had undertaken a new turn, the dominant Congress leadership was again in a dilemma. Both Gandhi and Nehru strongly opposed the idea of taking advantage of Britain’s position.

The Congress was ready to compromise, asking the British government to let it form an interim government during the war period but the government was not interested. The government came up with its own offer to get the cooperation of India in the war effort. Linlithgow announced

the August Offer (August 1940) which proposed:

● dominion status as the objective for India;

● expansion of viceroy’s executive council which would have a majority of Indians (who would be drawn from major political parties);

● setting up of a constituent assembly after the war where mainly Indians would decide the constitution according to their social, economic and political conceptions, subject to fulfilment of the obligation of the government regarding defence, minority rights, treaties with States, all India services; and

● no future constitution to be adopted without the consent of minorities.