(a) The Congress was prepared to lend support to Britain against ** (Germany) on the condition that India would be declared an independent nation. When the war situation in Europe reached a deadlock the Viceroy, Lord Linlithgow made a new offer to the Indians, known as the August offer.
(b) The proposals of the August offer were :
(i.) After the war a representative Indian body would be set up frame the Constitution for India.
(ii.) The expansion of the Viceroy’* executive council was no longer to be postponed.
(iii.) An Advisory Council would be set up. It would consist of representatives of British India and the Indian States and would meet at regular intervals.
(iv.) The minorities were assured that the Government would not transfer power “to any system of Government whose authority is directly by large and powerful elements in Indian national life”.
(c)The offer ** to satisfy the congress leaders. There was no time limit within which the Constitution – making body was to be set up. On the issue of the expansion of the Executive Council also no agreement could be reached. The Congress leaders had the impressions that the government did not really propose to part with power. The ** League welcomed that part of the offer which contained as assurance to the minorities.
But its overall reaction was that the partition of India was the only solution of the most difficult problem of India’* future.
