Chapter 11 : Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase

Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase

Background Context:

• 1850s onwards: Emergence of provincial associations sparked political awakening, despite limited social bases and objectives.
• 1870s–early 1880s: British measures intensified Indian political aspirations. Newer political organisations became more critical of British rulers and demanded more rights, preparing solid ground for an all-India organisation.

Foundation of the Indian National Congress

• Precursor Name: The Indian National Union, formed by A.O. Hume, became the Indian National Congress.
• Prelude: The Indian National Conference held two sessions in 1883 and 1885, drawing representatives from all major Indian towns. Its main architects were Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose.
• Foundation: Organised by A.O. Hume (a retired English civil servant) who mobilised leading intellectuals.
• First Session: Held at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay in December 1885.
• Attended by 72 delegates.
• Presided over by Womesh Chandra (or Chunder) Bonnerjee.
• Subsequent Sessions: Met every year in December, in a different part of the country each time.
• Prominent Early Presidents: Dadabhai Naoroji (thrice president), Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozeshah Mehta, P. Anandacharlu, Surendranath Banerjea, Romesh Chandra Dutt, Ananda Mohan Bose, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
• Other Prominent Leaders: Mahadev Govind Ranade, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sisir Kumar Ghosh, Motilal Ghosh, Madan Mohan Malaviya, G. Subramania Iyer, C. Vijayaraghavachariar, and Dinshaw E. Wacha.
• Women's Participation: In 1890, Kadambini Ganguly (the first woman graduate of Calcutta University) addressed the Congress session, symbolising the freedom struggle's commitment to women's status in national life.
• Other Avenues: Nationalist activity was also carried out through provincial conferences/associations, newspapers, and literature.

Was it a Safety Valve?

Historians and leaders have debated the origins of the Congress through three primary theories:

Aims and Objectives of the Congress

The main aims in the initial stage were exactly 8:

1. Found a democratic, nationalist movement.
2. Politicise and politically educate people.
3. Establish the headquarters for a movement.
4. Promote friendly relations among nationalist political workers from different parts of the country.
5. Develop and propagate an anti-colonial nationalist ideology.
6. Formulate and…