Correct Option (B)
Mahatma Gandhi proposed to Lord Mountbatten that Muhammad Ali Jinnah be invited to form the government as an alternative to the partition of India. This suggestion was made in an attempt to preserve the unity of India and avoid the communal violence that was anticipated with partition. Gandhi believed that by offering the prime ministership to Jinnah, the Muslim League might reconsider its demand for a separate state.
Incorrect Options:
A) Postponing the granting of independence was not Gandhi's primary suggestion to Mountbatten as an alternative to partition. While Gandhi was deeply concerned about the implications of partition, his focus was on maintaining a united India, not delaying independence itself.
C) While Gandhi advocated for Hindu-Muslim unity, his specific proposal to Mountbatten regarding the formation of a government to avert partition was to invite Jinnah alone. This was a strategic move to address the Muslim League's demands directly and potentially prevent the division of the country.
D) Inviting the army to take over for some time was not a suggestion made by Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi's philosophy was rooted in non-violence and civil administration, making a military takeover contrary to his principles and approach to political solutions.