The Mountbatten papers record the meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and Mountbatten as follows: “Mr Gandhi asked if he might take a walk round the Viceroy's garden at 9 o' clock, which he did accompanied by Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. Her Excellency went to meet him and accompanied him for part of the walk…I met him at 9.30 as arranged, and we drew up chairs in the garden and continued our conversations. “

He gave me his views on the origin of Hindu-Muslim animosity, and though he did not hold the British responsible for its origin, he said their policy of "Divide and Rule" had kept the tension very much alive, and that I should now reap what my predecessors had deliberately sown.

Finally, he gave me the first brief summary of the solution which he wished me to adopt:

Mr. Jinnah should forthwith be invited to form the Central Interim Government with members of the Muslim League. This Government to operate under the Viceroy in the way the present Interim Government is operating.

Any difficulty experienced through Congress having a majority in the Assembly to be overcome by their able advocacy of the measures they wished to introduce.

I need not say that this solution coming at this time staggered me. I asked "What would Mr Jinnah say to such a proposal"? The reply was "If you tell him I am the author he will reply 'Wily Gandhi'." I then remarked "And I presume Mr Jinnah will be right"? To which he replied with great fervour "No, I am entirely sincere in my suggestion."

The papers also record the reaction of Jawaharlal Nehru to the proposal. The relevant record mentions, “Pandit Nehru was not surprised to hear of the solution which had been suggested, since this was the same solution that Mr Gandhi had put up to the Cabinet Mission. It was turned down then as being quite impracticable; and the policy of Direct action by the Muslim League, and the bloodshed and bitterness in which it had resulted, made the solution even less realistic now than a year ago. He said he was anxious for Mr. Gandhi to stay a few days longer in Delhi, as he had been away for four months and was rapidly getting out of touch with events at the Centre…”