05-09-2023
GS-I
Sub-Categories:
GS-I: Modern History
Prelims: History of India and Indian National Movement
Mains: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues
The Foundation of Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885, stands as a cornerstone in India's fight for independence and has played a crucial role in shaping the country's political landscape. Before its inception, several socio-political movements and organizations laid the groundwork for the formation of the Indian National Congress.
Till 1947, there were numerous INC sessions (annual and special INC sessions) to discuss the political situation in the country and to pass resolutions on important issues. These INC sessions served as platforms for inclusive and collective decision-making and planning for the course of India's struggle for freedom. Foundation of the Indian National Congress
While many Indians had been contemplating the formation of an all-India organization for nationalist political activists, it was A.O. Hume, a retired English Civil Servant, who played a crucial role in giving the idea a concrete and definitive form. He engaged with prominent Indian leaders and collaborated with them to organize the inaugural INC session in Bombay in December 1885. Hume's primary intention in establishing and promoting this association was likely to provide a "safety valve" for the mounting discontent among educated Indians.
Initially, it was decided to hold a conference in the name of the Indian National Union to be held in Poona, but the venue was shifted to Bombay due to the cholera outbreak in Poona. The first meeting was held on Monday, 28 December 1885, in Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay.
- The aims and objectives of the Congress were defined very clearly by the 1st President of INC, W. C. Bonnerjee. He described the objectives as:
- Promotion of personal intimacy and friendship amongst the countrymen
- Eradication of all possible prejudices relating to race, creed or provinces
- Consolidation of sentiments of national unity
- Recording of the opinions of educated classes on pressing problems of the day
- Laying down lines for future courses of action in the public interest
- Participation:
- The dominance of lawyers within Congress is a commonly made argument. Notably absent were members of the old aristocracy, such as Rajas, Maharajas, prominent Zamindars, and wealthy merchants, as they perceived a threat from the emerging liberal and nationalist ideas.
- Similarly, the Congress did not attract a significant following from peasants or artisans.
Theories related to Foundation of Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress holds a crucial place in India's history, and as a result, contemporary opinions and subsequent historians have often pondered the factors that led to its establishment. Even a hundred years after its inception, this matter remains a subject of ongoing discussion among historians.
Safety Valve Theory
The theory posits that Hume founded the Congress with the expectation that it would function as a "safety valve" for the escalating discontent among Indians. This notion was endorsed by extremist leaders, including Lala Lajpat Rai.
Conspiracy Theory
Rajani Palme Dutt is credited with originating the Conspiracy Theory, which emerged from the 'safety valve' concept. According to Dutt, the INC was born from a conspiracy to quash a popular uprising in India, and he believed that the bourgeois (middle-class) leaders of India were also involved in this scheme.
Lightning Conductor Theory
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale proposed the "lightning conductor theory," suggesting that the INC was an expression of politically conscious Indians' aspiration to form a national entity representing their political and economic demands.
- Modern Indian historians believe that the early Congress leaders utilized Hume as a "lightning conductor" to act as a catalyst, uniting nationalist forces, even if the facade of a "safety valve" was maintained.
Important INC Sessions
Initially, the Congress lacked strong cohesion, regular membership, or a central office, and its views were mild and moderate. But ultimately leading to the realisation of India's aspirations for freedom, sovereignty, and self-reliance within about sixty years. Following are the significant INC sessions, their Presidents and outcome:
| Important INC Sessions | |
Year: 1885 Place: Mumbai | - President: Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee - Outcomes: Formation of Indian National Congress
- Viceroy- Lord Dufferin |
Year: 1886 Place: Calcutta | - President: Dadabhai Naoroji - Outcomes:
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Year: 1887 Place: Madras | - President: Badruddin Tyabji - Outcomes:
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Year: 1888 Place: Allahabad | - President: George Yule - Outcomes:
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Year: 1889 Place: | - President: Sir William Wedderburn - Outcomes:
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Year: 1901 Place: Calcutta | - President: Dinshaw Eduljee Wacha - Outcomes
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Year: 1905 Place: Banaras | - President: Gopal Krishna Gokhale - Outcomes:
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Year: 1906 Place: Calcutta | - President: Dadabhai Naoroji - Outcomes:
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Year: 1907 Place: Surat | - President: Rash Behari Ghosh - Outcomes:
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Year: 1916 Place: Lucknow | - President: Ambica Charan Mazumdar - Outcomes:
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Year: 1917 Place: Calcutta | - President: Annie Besant - Outcomes:
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Year: 1920 Place: Calcutta (special INC session) | - President: Lala Lajpat Rai - Outcomes:
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Year: 1920 Place: Nagpur | - President: C. Vijayaraghavachariar - Outcomes:
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Year: 1923 Place: Delhi (special INC session) | - President:Maulana Mohammad Ali (youngest person to become president) - Outcomes:
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Year: 1924 Place: Belgaum | - President: M.K. Gandhi - Outcomes:
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Year: 1925 Place: Kanpur | - President: Sarojini Naidu - Outcomes:
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Year: 1929 Place: Lahore | - President: Jawaharlal Nehru - Outcomes:
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Year: 1931 Place: Karachi | - President: Vallabbhai J. Patel - Outcomes:
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Year: 1936 Place: Lucknow | - President: Jawaharlal Nehru - Outcomes:
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Year: 1937 Place: Faizpur | - President: Jawaharlal Nehru - Outcomes:
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Year: 1938 Place: Haripura (Gujarat) | - President: Subhas Chandra Bose - Outcomes:
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Year: 1939 Place: | - President:Subhash Chandra Bose - Outcomes:
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Year: 1946 Place: Meerut | - President: J.B. Kripalani - Outcomes:
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Year: 1948 Place: Jaipur | - President: B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya - Outcomes:
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PYQs on Foundation of Indian National Congress
Question 1: Consider the followings statements: (UPSC Prelims 2015)
- The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu.
- The first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress was Badruddin Tyabji.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b)
Question 2: The 1929 Session of the Indian National Congress is of significance in the history of the Freedom Movement because the (UPSC Prelims 2014)
- Attainment of Self-Government was declared as the objective of the Congress.
- Attainment of Poorna Swaraj was adopted as the goal of the Congress
- Non-Cooperation Movement was launched
- Decision to participate in the Round Table Conference in London was taken
Answer: (b)
Question 3: Annie Besant was (UPSC Prelims 2013)
- Responsible for starting the Home Rule Movement
- The founder of the Theosophical Society
- Once the President of the Indian National Congress.
Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below:
- 1 only
- 2 and 3
- 1 and 3
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Question 4: The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress (1929) is very important in history, because (UPSC Prelims 2012)
- The congress passed a resolution demanding complete independence
- The rift between the extremists and moderates was resolved in that Session
- A resolution was passed rejecting the two-nation theory in that Session
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3
- 1 and 3
- None of above
Answer: (a)
FAQs on Foundation of Indian National Congress
Q) What is the Indian National Congress?
Indian National Congress is one of the oldest political parties in India, founded in 1885. It played a pivotal role in India's freedom struggle and later became a significant force in the country's politics.
Q) Who was A. O. Hume, and what was his role in the Indian National Congress?
Allan Octavian Hume was a British civil servant and ornithologist. He played a key role in the formation of the Indian National Congress and became its General Secretary.
Q) What is meant by Purna Swaraj?
Purna Swaraj is a Hindi word that means "complete self-rule" or "complete independence." In 1929, the Indian National Congress passed a resolution declaring Purna Swaraj as its goal.
Q) Why was the National Planning Committee established?
It was established in 1938 by the INC to plan for the economic development of India. The committee was chaired by Jawaharlal Nehru. The committee was established in response to the growing economic and social problems facing India in the 1930s.
Q) Which INC session was presided by MK Gandhi?
The Belgaum session of the Indian National Congress in 1924 was presided over by M.K. Gandhi. It was the only time Mahatma Gandhi served as the President of an INC session.
Q) Who was the first women President of INC Session?
The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Annie Besant. She served as the President of the party in 1917 during the annual INC session held in Calcutta.
Q) What was the significance of the Faizpur Session of the Indian National Congress?
The Faizpur Session held in 1936 was crucial as it witnessed the election of Subhas Chandra Bose as the Congress President, marking a shift in the Congress' approach towards complete independence.