Which of the following is not correct about the August Offer of 1940?...
- Viceroy Linlithgow announced the August Offer (August 1940) which proposed- dominion status, expansion of viceroy’s executive council which would have a majority of Indians, setting up of a constituent assembly after the war where mainly Indians would decide the constitution, and no future constitution to be adopted without the consent of minorities.
- It was opposed by both Congress and Muslim League.
- When the Congress ministries in the Provinces resigned, the British arose and wanted to get support of the Congress for war.
- In March 1940, Congress met at Ramgarh in Bihar in its annual session.
- He Congress passed a resolution offering the British Government support in war, if a provisional National Government is setup at Centre.
- This was responded by Lord Linlithgow in the sort of a proposal which is called August Offer. The August Offer turned down the demand of the Congress to set up a national Government at the center but proposed the following:
After the war, a representative “Constitution Making Body” shall be appointed immediately after the war.
The number of the Indians in the Viceroy’s Executive council will be increased.
A war advisory Council would be set up. The Congress did not approve the August Offer.
Jawahar Lal Nehru said that the whole idea was “dead and doornail”.
The Muslim League said that it will not be satisfied with anything short of partition of India.
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Which of the following is not correct about the August Offer of 1940?...
Understanding the August Offer of 1940
The August Offer was a proposal put forth by the British government during World War II to address the demands for Indian self-rule. However, the details surrounding the acceptance of this offer are crucial in understanding option 'D'.
Key Features of the August Offer
- Dominion Status for India: The proposal included the promise of Dominion status for India after the war, allowing some degree of self-governance.
- Expansion of the Viceroy’s Executive Council: It aimed to expand the Viceroy’s Executive Council to include more Indian members, thereby increasing Indian representation.
- Establishment of an Advisory War Council: The offer proposed the formation of an Advisory War Council to assist in governance during the war.
INC's Response to the August Offer
- INC's Rejection: The Indian National Congress (INC) did not accept the August Offer. Instead, they found it insufficient as it did not meet their demands for complete independence.
- Constituent Assembly Formation: The INC did not accept the offer in 1941, and the proposal for a Constituent Assembly emerged later, in 1946, as part of the negotiations leading to independence.
Conclusion
Thus, statement 'D' is incorrect because the INC never accepted the August Offer, and the formation of the Constituent Assembly occurred independently of this offer. Instead, it was a product of subsequent negotiations and developments in the Indian independence movement.