During the early part of 1940 there was little change in the situation. Congress reaffirmed its demand for complete independence at its Ramgarh session. But later, seeing the England`s perilous position, it offered to resume co-operation with the British so long as a provisional national government was set up. The British refused, saying that power could not be given to a body whose authority was denied `by large and powerful elements in India`s national life`, i.e. The Muslims and other minorities. But the government did admit for the first time that the forming of an Indian constitution was the primary responsibility of Indians themselves. A representative constitution-making body would be set up after the war. For the present, there would be an immediate increase in the number of Indians in the governor-general`s council. In addition, a war-advisory council would be established. But this `august offer` was too little and too late for the principal Indian parties. Pandit Nehru said flatly that the whole idea of dominion status, on which the offer was based. According to him `it was as dead as a doornail`. The league declared that it would be satisfied with nothing short of the partition of India.

Congress now resolved to resort to civil disobedience. But in order not to embarrass the annoyed British, Gandhiji insisted that it be an individual and not a mass satyagraha campaign. A small-scale effort was mounted between 17 October and 17 December. In this effort some 600 satyagrahis were involved. Acharya Vinoba Bhave was the first person that allowed to him to get arrested. In 1941 the campaign was again started up and this time it was more vigorous. A total of 20,000 men and women were put on trial and convicted.