Introduction:
In the year 1885, the Indian National Congress (INC) was founded in Bombay and from then it rose to become one of the most influential political parties in pre-independence India.
The first session of the INC was held in 1885. Commencing as an establishment having only the literate cream in India.
In the coming years, it grew as a party of citizens with outstanding leaders like Lajpat Rai, Tilak, Gandhi, Nehru, Bose, etc.,
Formation of Indian National Congress was an effort in the direction of promoting the process of nation building.
2.What was the real reason for the establishment of the Indian National Congress?
There are two broad theories behind this:
a) Mythical Theory
This suggested that it was the humanistic approach of A.O. Hume that was cited as one of the factors that led to the establishment of the INC. In fact, it was said that Hume was deeply moved by the political plight of the Indians, and he wanted to establish a political platform for Indians that could serve as the ‘voice for Indians’ so that the grievances could reach the British and the discontentment which was gradually growing between the British ruling system and the Indians could be minimised.
The biographer of A.O. Hume, William Wedderburn, who later on also became the President of the INC as well, deeply believed in the humanistic approach of A.O. Hume.
b) Realistic Theory:
The extremist elements in India like Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, etc. laid down the theory known as ‘Safety- valve’ theory.
Lala Lajpat Rai wrote two books, ‘Unhappy India’, and ‘Punjabi’. In these two books, he explained and criticized the policy of the British regarding the establishment of the INC.
According to him, it was a conspiracy of Lord Dufferin, and A.O. Hume, that lead to the establishment of the INC. In the second half of the 19th Century with the growing tide of nationalism, the aggression of Indians kept on increasing against the British policies, thus the British think-tanks derived a concept by which it was said that in between the British Government in India and the Indian public, there would be a buffer organization known as the Indian National Congress (INC).
Thus the INC would work as a buffer organization, or in other words, it would work as a safety-valve.
The safety-valve theory got a strong momentum in the political circles of India.
But, on the basis of modern analysis, the INC was a result of many a regional consciousness uniting together under the context of commonality of interests. In fact, with the beginning of the 19th Century itself, there were many cultural organizations that were established by social reformers. And cultural organizations always lead to political and social awareness.
Thus, in this regard, we find that immediately after the socio-cultural movement in India (i.e. 19th-century renaissance), we find various political organizations being established like:
The Landholders Society, which was established by Dwarakanath Tagore. This was also known as Zamindar Sabha.
There were many other organizations like, East India Association, Bengal British East India Association, Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, and the Indian League, established by Sisir Kumar Ghosh.
3. Sessions
First Session: held at Bombay in 1885. President: W.C. Bannerjee
Formation of Indian National Congress.
Second Session: held at Calcutta in 1886. President: Dadabhai Naoroji
Third Session: held at Madras in 1887. President: Syed Badruddin Tyabji, first muslim President.
Fourth Session: held at Allahabad in 1888. President: George Yule, first English President.
1896: Calcutta. President: Rahimtullah Sayani
National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ sung for the first time by Rabindranath Tagore.
1899: Lucknow. President: Romesh Chandra Dutt.
Demand for permanent fixation of Land revenue
1901: Calcutta. President: Dinshaw E.Wacha
First time Gandhiji appeared on the Congress platform
1905: Benaras. President: Gopal Krishan Gokhale
Formal proclamation of Swadeshi movement against government
1906: Calcutta. President: Dadabhai Naoroji
Adopted four resolutions on: Swaraj (Self Government), Boycott Movement, Swadeshi & National Education
1907: Surat. President: Rash Bihari Ghosh
Split in Congress- Moderates & Extremist
Adjournment of Session
1910: Allahabad. President: Sir William Wedderburn
M.A Jinnah decried the separate electorate system introduced by act of 1909
1911: Calcutta. President: B.N. Dhar
First time recital of Jan-Gan-Man in Congress session
1915: Bombay. President: Sir S.P. Sinha
Constitution of the Congress was altered to admit the delegates from the extremist section
1916: Lucknow. President: A.C. Majumdar
Unity between two factions-Moderates and Extremists of Congress
Lucknow Pact signed between Congress and Muslim League to build political consensus
1917: Calcutta. President: Annie Besant, First Woman President of Congress
1918 (Special session): Bombay. President: Syed Hasan Imam
The session was convened to deliberate the contentious Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms Scheme
1919: Amritsar. President: Motilal Nehru
Congress extended support to Khilafat Movement
1920 (Special Session): Calcutta. President: Lala Lajpat Rai
Mahatma Gandhi moved the Non cooperation resolution
1920: Nagpur. President: C. Vijayaraghavachariar
Reconstitution of Working committees of Congress on Linguistic basis
MA Jinnah left the Indian National Congress
1922: Gaya. President: C.R. Das
CR Das and other leaders broke away from INC
Formation of Swaraj Party
1924: Belgaum. President: M.K. Gandhi
Only Session presided over by Mahatma Gandhi
1925: Kanpur. President: Sarojini Naidu, First Indian Woman President
1927: Madras. President: Dr. M.A. Ansari
Passed a resolution against the use of Indian troops in China, Iran and Mesopotamia.
Passed a resolution against boycott of Simon Commission
Adoption of resolution on Purna Swaraj
1928: Calcutta. President: Motilal Nehru
Formation of All India Youth Congress
1929: Lahore. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru
Passed the resolution on ‘Poorna Swaraj.’
Civil Disobedience movement for complete independence to be launched
26 January to be observed as ‘Independence Day’.
1931: Karachi. President: Vallabhbhai Patel
Resolutions on Fundamental Rights and National Economic Programme
Endorsement of Gandhi-Irwin pact
Gandhi nominated to represent INC in the Second Round Table Conference to be held in London
1934: Bombay. President: Rajendra Prasad
Amendment in the Constitution of Congress
1936: Lucknow. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru
Push towards socialist ideas by Jawahar Lal Nehru
1937: Faizpur. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru
First Session to be held in a village
1938: Haripura. President: Subhas Chandra Bose
National Planning Committee set up under Jawahar Lal Nehru.
1939: Tripuri. President: Rajendra Prasad
Subhas Chandra Bose was re-elected but had to resign
Rajendra Prasad was appointed in his place
Subhash Chandra Bose formed Forward Bloc
1940: Ramgarh. President: Abul Kalam Azad
Civil Disobedience movement to be launched at appropriate time and circumstances.
1941–45: This Period is marked by events i.e. Quit India movement, RIN Mutiny & INA trials.
Phase of constitutional negotiations such as the Cripps Mission, Wavell Plan and Cabinet Mission.
On account of these events during this phase no congress session was held.
1946: Meerut. President: J.B Kripalani
Last session before independence
J.B Kriplani was the president of INC at independence.
4. The major objectives and demands of INC were:
Constitutional:
Opportunity for participation in the government was one of the major demands of the Indian National Congress. It demanded Indian representation in the government.
Economic
High land revenue was one of the major factors that contributed to the oppression of the peasants. It demanded reduction in the land revenue and protection of peasants against exploitation of the zamindars. The Congress also advocated the imposition of heavy tax on the imported goods for the benefit of swadeshi goods.
Administrative
Higher officials who had responsibility of administration in India were selected through civil services examinations conducted in Britain. This meant that educated Indians who could not afford to go to London had no opportunity to get high administrative jobs. Therefore, Indianisation of services through simultaneous Indian Civil Services Examinations in England and India was a major demand of the Congress.
Judicial
Because of the partial treatment against the Indian political activists by English judges it demanded the complete separation of the Executive and the Judiciary.
5. Contributions of Early Nationalists (1885–1915):
(Moderate Phase):
5.1 Moderate leaders: Dadabhai naoroji, A.O. Hume, Badruddin tyabji, M.G. Ranade, W.C. Banerjee, Firoz Shah Mehta, Surendranath Banerjee, C. Shankaran Nair, Madan Mohan Malviya, V.S. Shrinivas Shastri, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Anand Mohan Bose, E. Dinesh Wacha, Rashbehari Ghosh, Mohan Lal Ghosh, Anand chalu, Chintamani, R.C. Dutt, Subramaniam Iyer, Madhusudan Das, K.T. Tailang, Rahmi Tula M. Sayani.
Note:
Then arose the Extremist Phase(1905-1917).
