{"id":3642,"date":"2026-09-09T11:11:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T05:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=3642"},"modified":"2026-09-09T12:16:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T06:46:09","slug":"political-organisations-before-indian-national-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/political-organisations-before-indian-national-congress\/","title":{"rendered":"Political Organisations Before Indian National Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"

Political organisations before Indian National Congress<\/strong> emerged as the British expanded their control over India and resentment against colonial policies grew. Unlike peasants, tribals and workers, the educated middle class adopted constitutional methods to express opposition. They wrote books, articles and newspapers to analyse British policies, spread political awareness and mobilise public opinion. They also established organisations, associations and societies to coordinate collective activities. Their primary methods included submitting petitions and resolutions, organising public meetings and issuing statements against unjust policies.<\/p>\r\n

The Bengal, Bombay and Madras Presidencies<\/strong> became major centres of education, the emerging middle-class intelligentsia and political activity. Consequently, these presidencies naturally became the principal centres for political organisations before\u00a0Indian National Congress<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

Political Organisations Before Indian National Congress in Bengal<\/h2>\r\n

Bengal pioneered political awakening against colonial rule. The rise of the intellectual class, socio-religious movements, and Calcutta as the capital encouraged early political organisations before\u00a0Indian National Congress<\/strong>. The Landholders' Society<\/strong>, established in 1837, marked the beginning of organised political activity in India. The following are some important political organisations before\u00a0Indian National Congress<\/strong> in Bengal.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Organisation<\/strong><\/td>\r\nDescription<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Landholders\u2019 Society<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\r\n

-\u00a0Year:\u00a0<\/strong>1837<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Founder:\u00a0<\/strong>Dwarkanath Tagore<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Place: <\/strong>Calcutta<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Other members:<\/strong>\u00a0Radhakant Deb, Prasanna Kumar Tagore, Rajkamal Sen and Bhabani Charan Mitra<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Objectives:\u00a0<\/strong>It was an association of landholders of\u00a0Bengal, Bihar and Orissa,<\/strong>\u00a0and its principal objective was to\u00a0guard its class interests.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Membership:<\/strong>\u00a0Also extended to non-official Britishers engaged in trade and commerce in Bengal.<\/p>\r\n

- It was the first to adopt the path of\u00a0constitutional demonstration\u00a0<\/strong>for the fulfilment of its objectives.<\/p>\r\n

- Spread:<\/strong>\u00a0It failed to take root in areas outside the\u00a0Bengal Presidency,\u00a0where the\u00a0Permanent Settlement<\/a>\u00a0was not in vogue.<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Suppression<\/strong>: It became inactive around 1842, although it maintained a precarious existence till 1850. The Bengal British India Society took its place.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

Bengal British India Society<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\r\n

-\u00a0Founded in<\/strong>\u00a01843<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Place:<\/strong>\u00a0Calcutta<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Aims\/objectives:\u00a0<\/strong>To promote good citizenship qualities in the\u00a0Indian people, raise public awareness about the state of\u00a0governance, and work toward their realisation through peaceful and legal means consistent with loyalty to the person and government of the reigning\u00a0sovereign\u00a0in\u00a0England.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

British Indian Association<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n\r\n

-\u00a0Founded\u00a0<\/strong>in October 1851<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Place:<\/strong>\u00a0Calcutta<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Its President and Secretary\u00a0<\/strong>are Raja Radhakant Deb and Debendranath Tagore, respectively.<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Other members of the Association:<\/strong>\u00a0Ramgopal Ghosh, Peary Chand Mitra and Krishnadas Pal.<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Its membership was kept exclusive to Indians.<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Objective:<\/strong>\u00a0To secure improvements in the local administration of the country and in the system of government laid down by\u00a0Parliament.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

Indian League<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\r\n\r\n

-\u00a0Founded in\u00a0<\/strong>1875<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Founded by<\/strong>\u00a0Sisir Kumar Ghose.<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Aims:<\/strong>\u00a0The League aspired to represent not only the middle class but the masses as well and to stimulate a sense of nationalism among the people.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

Indian National Association<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\r\n

-\u00a0Founded\u00a0<\/strong>in 1876<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Founder:<\/strong>\u00a0Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose.<\/p>\r\n

-\u00a0Background:<\/strong>\u00a0In 1875,\u00a0Sisir Kumar Ghosh\u00a0and\u00a0Sambhu Charan Mukherjee founded 'The India League' to represent the middle class and foster a sense of nationalism among the people.<\/p>\r\n

- The Indian National Association was founded as the\u00a0Bharat Sabha<\/strong>, and its first annual conference was held in\u00a0Calcutta. In 1886, this organisation merged with the Indian National Congress.<\/p>\r\n

- Its main objectives were:<\/p>\r\n