August Offer & Individual Satyagraha

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August Offer
  • Hitler’s astounding success and the fall of Belgium, Holland and France put England in a conciliatory mood.
  • Gandhi and Nehru strongly opposed the idea of taking advantage of Britain’s position.
  • Congress was ready to compromise, but the government was not interested.
  • Government came up with its own offer to get the cooperation of India in the war effort. Linlithgow announced the August Offer (August 1940).
  • Dominion status.
  • Expansion of viceroy’s executive council (majority of Indians).
  • Setting up of a constituent assembly after the war, 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.
  • No future constitution to be adopted without the consent of minorities.
Responses
  • Congress rejected the August Offer.
  • Nehru said, "Dominion status concept is dead as a doornail"
  • Muslim League welcomed the veto assurance given to the League, and reiterated its position that partition was the only solution to the deadlock.
Evaluation
  • Congress demand for a constituent assembly was conceded.
  • July 194, viceroy’s executive council was enlarged to give the Indians a majority of 8 out of 12 for the first time.
  • British remained in charge of defence, finance and home.
  • National Defence Council Set up.
Individual Satyagraha
  • End of 1940, the Congress once again asked Gandhi to take command.
  • Gandhi, decided to initiate a limited satyagraha on an individual basis by a few selected individuals in every locality.
    1. Show that nationalist patience was not due to weakness.
    2. To express people’s feeling that they were not interested in the war and that they made no distinction between Nazism and the double autocracy that ruled India.
    3. Give another opportunity to the government to accept Congress’ demands peacefully.
  • Government did not arrest the satyagrahi, he or she would not only repeat it but move into villages and start a march towards Delhi - Delhi Chalo Movement.
  • Vinoba Bhave was the first to offer the satyagraha and Nehru, the second.
Gandhi Designates Nehru as his Successor
  • Congress leaders, released in December 1941.
  • Japan’s aggressive actions, were anxious to defend Indian territory and go to the aid of the Allies.
  • CWC overrode Gandhi’s and Nehru’s objections and passed a resolution offering to cooperate with the government in the defence of India, If
    • Full independence was given after the war.
    • Substance of power was transferred immediately.
  • Nehru and Gandhi differed in temperament and attitudes towards modernity, religion, God, State and industrialisation.
  • Nehru was indifferent to religion, Gandhi believed deeply in his own version of God;
  • Nehru believed that industrialisation was the only solution to the acute and widespread poverty of India, while Gandhi called for the reviving of the rural economy.
  • Nehru believed in the powers of the modern State to elevate and reform society, while Gandhi was sceptical of State power, trusting instead to the conscience and willingness of individuals and communities.
  • Both teacher and disciple had fundamental similarities - patriotism in an inclusive sense. i.e. identified with India as a whole rather than with a particular caste, language, region or religion.
  • Both believed in non-violence and democratic form of government.
  • Rajmohan Gandhi, in his book, The Good Boatman, writes that Gandhi preferred Nehru to the alternatives.

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