HISTORY March 21, 2018

Indian nationalism was result of following:

1. Worldwide concept of nationalism & right of self determination initiated by

French revolution

2. Indian Renaissance

3. Modernization initiated by British, western thoughts

4. Reaction to British colonial & imperialistic policies

5. Rise of Middle class intelligentsia

6. Unification of the country done under British rule (political, administrative,

economic) hitherto cultural unity from Himalayas in north to Cape Comorin in

south, from Assam in east to Khyber in west

7. Development of means of transport & communication

8. Press

Growth of Indian nationalism

Reactionary policies of Govt.

1876 Lord Lytton reduced age of ICS exam from 21 to 19 years

1877 grand Delhi Durbar when country was suffering from famine

1878 Vernacular press act

1878 Indian Arms act provoked opposition in the country

1883-84 Ripon & Ilbert bill controversy, he wanted to abolish judicial

disqualification on racial basis through this bill & give the Indian members of

covenanted civil service same powers as their European colleagues, but Ripon was

forced to modify bill under severe opposition from European community which

further increased hate among Indian for foreigners

The Ilbert Bill controversy was related to the

a) imposition restrictions the Indians of certain to carry arms by Indians

b) imposition of restrictions on newspapers and magazines published in Indian

languages

c) removal of disqualifications imposed on the Indian magistrates with regard to the

trial of the Europeans

d) removal of a duty on imported cotton cloth

2013

Raja Ram Mohun Roy was the pioneer

But the task to organise associations was left to his supporters

Growth Of Modern Political Ideas & Political Associations

Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha was formed in 1836 by associates of RM Roy.

1838: The Zamindari Association, more popularly known as the 'Landholders‘

Society', was founded to safeguard the interests of the landlords.

1839: British India Society founded by Mr. Adams in london

The Bengal British India Society was founded in 1843.

1851: Both the Landholders' Society & the Bengal British India Society merged

into the British Indian Association as they had not been faring well.

1866 Dadabhai Naoroji in London set up East India Association to influence

English men there for Indian welfare

Pre-Congress Associations

1875 Sisir Kumar Ghosh started Indian league to instill nationalism among people

1876 Indian Association superseded Indian league by Surendernath Banerjee &

Anand Mohan Bose to unify people on common political ground. Wanted support

of not only middle class but also the masses so kept their subscription to Rupees 5

instead of Rupees 50 kept by British Indian Association

1867 Ranade’s Poona Sarvajanik Sabha

1885 Badruddin Tyabji, Pherojshah Mehta, K.T.Telang formed Bombay Presidency

Association

1884 Subramanyam Aiyer, Anand Charlu founded Madras Mahajan Sabha

Continued

Consider the following pairs:

1. Radhakanta Deb — First President of the British Indian Association

2. Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty — Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha

3. Surendranath Banerjee — Founder of the Indian Association

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

2017

INC

A.O Hume retired ICS officer organized 1st session of INC in Dec 1885 in Bombay

Prelude to it SN Banerjee & AM Bose(president) had conducted All-India National

conference in December 1883 organized an National Conference and given a call for

another one in December 1885. SN Banerjea, could not for that reason attend the

founding session of the Congress in 1885).

1st session of INC was attended by 72 delegates presided over by W C Bannerjee ,

INC annual meetings took place in December every year after it.

1st organized expression of Indian nationalism on an all-India scale.

But why was it founded by these 72 & why at that time?

Lord Dufferin considered INC to be “safety Valve” but

earlier congress leaders used Hume as “lightening conductor”

In his Young India published in 1916, Lala Lajpat Rai

More than a quarter century later, R. Palme Dutt’s authoritative work India Today

made the myth of the safety-valve a staple of left-wing opinion

1939: M.S. Golwalkar, had also found the theory handy in attacking the Congress

for its secularism and, therefore, anti-nationalism in his pamphlet We

The liberal C.F. Andrews & Girija Mukherji fully accepted the theory in their work,

The Rise and Growth of the Congress in India published in 1938. They were happy

with it because it had helped avoid ‘useless bloodshed.

Moderate Phase Of Congress (1885 – 1905)

Expansion of the Legislative Council

Inclusion of Indians in the Executive Council

Reduction of taxes

Checking Drain of Wealth (1st mentioned by Dadabhai in “Poverty & Un British

Rule in India”)

Reduction on expenditure on Army & utilizing the same amount for the public

Indianisation of Civil Services Exam

To conduct the exam in India also

Increase in the maximum age limit

Exam syllabus common to all

Demands

Create a consciousness & national spirit & then educate & unite people on common

political questions

Persuade British Government & British public opinion to introduce reforms in India.

For this purpose, a British committee of the Congress was established in London in

1899 which had India as its organ. Dadabhai spent a portion of his life & income

campaigning for India's case abroad.

1890: It was decided to hold a session of the Congress in London in 1892, but owing

to the British elections of 1891the proposal was postponed & never revived later.

Moderate leaders believed that political connections with Britain were in India's

interest at that stage of history & that the time was not ripe for a direct challenge to

the British rule.

Objectives

Leaders of INC during this phase had faith in the British system

The movement was in its early stages & was a restricted in nature

It was not a mass movement

Reasons for not demanding Swaraj (Independence) or Purna Swaraj (Complete

Independence)

Peaceful assembly in the last 3 days of the year

Election of President by consensus and voting

Discussion of Important National & local issues

Passing and adoption of resolution through consensus & voting

Resolution presented to the government in form of petitions or request

The style of writing these petitions was humble & soft

This was an approved & Legal method as prescribed by the government

Methodology or Style of Functioning

These 20 years resulted in creation of an all India Political Base

Support for the Party increased from 72 in 1885 to few lakh in 1905

Politicization of Local issues as National Issues gave a feeling of Nationalism

Various issues were discussed & the government was put under pressure resulting in

reforms like 1892 Indian Council Act that allowed Indians to enter Legislative

Assembly

It succeeded in creating a wide national awakening, in arousing among the

people the feeling that they belonged to one common nation-the Indian nation

It trained people in the art of political work, popularized among them the ideas of

democracy & nationalism, propagated among them a modern outlook & exposed

before them the evil results of British rule.

Achievements

Continued

Most of all, it made people recognize the economic content & character of British

imperialism-that Britain was making India a supplier of raw materials, a market for

British manufacture, & a field for investment of British capital.

Exploitative nature of colonial power was revealed , “Drain theory of wealth” was

brought in public

It established the political truth that India must be ruled in the interests of the

Indians. It made the issue of nationalism a dominant one in Indian life.

While its weaknesses were to be removed by the succeeding generations, its

achievements were to serve as a base for a more vigorous national movement

in later years.

In 1890, Kadambiny Ganguly the 1st woman graduate of Calcutta University

addressed the Congress session, which symbolised the commitment of the freedom

struggle to give the women of India their due status in national life.

Consider the following statements :

The most effective contribution made by Dada Bhai Naoroji to the cause of Indian

National Movement was that he

1. exposed the economic exploitation of India by the British

2. interpreted the ancient Indian texts and restored the self-confidence of Indians

3. stressed the need for eradication of all the social evils before anything else

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

2012

It made a beginning of representative institutions by associating Indians with the

law-making process.

It thus provided that the viceroy should nominate some Indians as non-official

members of his expanded council.

In 1862, Lord Canning, nominated 3 Indians to his legislative council—the Raja of

Benaras, the Maharaja of Patiala & Sir Dinkar Rao.

Indian Councils Act 1861

Legislative councils in India had no real official power till 1920.

Yet, work done in them by the nationalists helped the growth of the national

movement.

Imperial Legislative Council constituted by the Indian Councils Act (1861) was an

impotent body designed to disguise official measures as having been passed by a

representative body.

Indian members were few in number—30 years from 1862-92 only 45 Indians were

nominated to it most of them being wealthy, landed & with loyalist interests.

Only a handful of political figures and intellectuals such as Ahmed Khan, Kristodas

Pal, V.N. Mandlik, K.L. Nulkar & Rashbehari Ghosh were nominated.

From 1885 to 1892, the nationalist demands for constitutional reforms were

1. expansion of councils—i.e., greater participation of Indians in councils,

2. reform of councils—i.e., more powers to councils, especially greater control over

finances.

The early nationalists ’long-term objective was of a democratic self-government.

Their demands for constitutional reforms were conceded in 1892

Constitutional Reforms and Propaganda in Legislature

Number of additional members in Imperial Legislative Councils & the Provincial

Legislative Councils was raised.

In Imperial Legislative Council, now the governor-general could have 10 to 16 non

officials (instead of 6 to 10 previously).

Some of these additional (nonofficial) members could be indirectly elected both in

the Central & provincial legislative councils. Thus an element of election was

introduced for the 1st time.

The word “election” was, however, not used in the act. It was described as

nomination made on the recommendation of certain bodies like in Central Legislative

Council by viceroy on the recommendation of the provincial legislative councils &

Bengal Chamber of Commerce, & that of the Provincial legislative councils by

Governors on the recommendation of the district boards, municipalities, universities,

trade associations, zamindars etc.

It increased the functions of legislative councils

Budget could be discussed.

Questions could be asked.

Indian Councils Act 1892

The officials retained their majority in the council, thus leaving ineffective the non-

official voice.

The 'reformed' Imperial Legislative Council met, during its tenure till 1909, on an

average for only 13 days in a year, & the number of unofficial Indian members

present was only 5 out of 24.

The budget could not be voted upon, nor could any amendments be made to it.

Supplementaries could not be asked, nor could answers be discussed.

Limitations

These reforms were severely criticised at Congress sessions, where the nationalists

made no secret of their dissatisfaction with them.

Now, they demanded (i) a majority of elected Indians, & (ii) control over the budget

i.e., the 'power to vote upon & amend the budget.

They gave the slogan—"No taxation without representation'.

Gradually, the scope of constitutional demands was widened & Dadabhai (1904),

Gokhale (1905) & Tilak (1906) demanded self government like the self-governing

colonies of Canada & Australia.

Also, leaders like Pherozshah Mehta & Gokhale put government policies &

proposals to severe criticism.

Reaction

Born 1845 in Bombay

Pherozeshah Mehta came under Dadabhai Naoroji’s influence while studying law in

London during the 1860s.

He was one of the founders of the INC.

From about the middle of the 1890s till his death in 1915 he was a dominant figure

in the Congress & was often accused of exercising autocratic authority over it.

He was a powerful debater & his speeches were marked by boldness, lucidity,

incisiveness, a ready wit & quick repartee, & a certain literary quality.

Pherozeshah Mehta

1901: Mehta retired from Imperial Legislative Council due to bad health.

He got elected in his place 35-year-old Gokhale, who had already made his mark as

the Secretary of the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha & the editor of the Sudharak.

In 1897, as a witness in London before the Royal Commission on Expenditure in

India, Gokhale had outshone veterans like SN Banerjea, Wacha, G. Subramaniya

Iyer & Dadabhai Naoroji.

His very 1st budget speech on 26 March 1902 established him as the greatest

parliamentarian that India has produced.

An outstanding intellectual who had been trained in Indian economics by Ranade &

G.V. Joshi.

He was no orator. He did not use strong & forceful language as Tilak, Dadabhai &

R.C. Dutt did. Nor did he take recourse, as Mehta did, to humour, irony &

courteous, sarcasm. As a speaker he was gentle, reasonable, courteous, non-

flamboyant & lucid. He relied primarily upon detailed knowledge & the careful data.

Consequently, while his speeches did not entertain or hurt, they gradually took hold

of the listeners’ or readers’ attention by their sheer intellectual power.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

He showed how land revenue & the salt tax had been going up even in times of

drought and famine.

He asked for the reduction of these 2 taxes & for raising the minimum income liable

to income tax to Rs. 1k so that the lower middle classes would not be harassed.

He condemned the large expenditure on the army & territorial expansion beyond

Indian frontiers & demanded greater expenditure on education & industry instead.

The management of Indian finances, he said, revealed that Indian interests were

invariably subordinated to foreign interests.

He linked the poor state of Indian finances & the poverty of the people with the

colonial status of the Indian economy & polity.

And he did all this by citing at length from the Government’s own blue books.’

Achievements

Gokhale was to be repaid in plenty by the love & recognition of his own people.

Proud of his legislative achievement they were to confer him the title of ‘the leader

of the opposition’.

Gandhiji was to declare him his political guru.

And Tilak, his lifelong political opponent, said at his funeral: ‘This diamond of

India, this jewel of Maharashtra, this prince of workers, is taking eternal rest on the

funeral ground. Look at him & try to emulate him.”

The new Councils attracted some of the most prominent nationalist leaders.

SN Banerjea, Kalicharan Banerjee, A M Bose, Lal Mohan Ghosh, W.C. Bonnerji &

Rash Behari Ghosh from Bengal,

Ananda Charlu, C. Sankaran Nair & Vijayaraghavachariar from Madras

Madan Mohan Malaviya, Ayodhyanath & Bishambar Nath from U.P.

B.G. Tilak, Pherozeshah Mehta, R.M. Sayani, Chimanlal Setalvad, N.G.

Chandravarkar & G.K. Gokhale from Bombay

G.M. Chitnavis from Central Provinces

were some of the members of the Provincial or Central Legislative Councils from 1893

to 1909.

Moderate Leaders

Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozshah Mehta, Dinshaw E. Wacha, W.C Bonnerjee, S.N

Banerjee believed in liberalism & moderate methods in comparison to the neo-

nationalist(extremists like Lal, Bal, Pal) of 19th century

Other prominent leaders included

Mahadeo Govind Ranade,

Sisir Kumar Ghosh,

Motilal Ghosh,

Madan Mohan Malaviya,

G. Subramaniya Aiyar,

C. Vijayaraghavachariar

What was the purpose with which sir William Wedderburn and W.S. Caine had set up

the Indian parliamentary committee in 1893 ?

(a)To agitate for Indian political reforms in the house of commons.

(b)To campaign for the entry of Indians into the imperial judiciary.

(c)To facilitate a discussion on India’s independence in the British parliament.

(d)To agitate for the entry of eminent Indians into the British parliament.

2011

Confined to urban centers – Bombay, Madras & Calcutta which left rural part

untouched

Class & Caste Composition of the party focused only on certain sections of society

Most leaders were from the Upper Caste (Brahmins or Kshatriya)

Class wise it was dominated by people from upper class like Zamindars, Traders,

Lawyers, Doctors, Capitalist etc

Peasant class or working class people were not present in the party

From 1893 Nationalism was linked to symbols of Hinduism which alienated the

Muslims & people from other religion

INC failed to address the grievances of the minority

Number of women members in the party was very low

Criticism

They lacked faith in the common people, did no work among them & consequently

failed to acquire any roots among them.

Even their propaganda did not reach them.

Nor did they organize any all- India campaigns & when, during 1905-07, such an

all-India campaign did come up in the form of the Swadeshi & Boycott Movement,

they were not its leader & (though Bengal Moderates did play an active role).

Their politics were based on the belief that they would be able to persuade the rulers

to introduce economic & political reforms but their practical achievements in this

respect were meagre.

Instead of respecting them for their moderation, the British treated them with

contempt, sneered at their politics & met popular agitations with repression.

Their basic failure, however, was that of not keeping pace with events.

They could not see that their own achievements had made their Politics obsolete.

They failed to meet the demands of the new stage of the national movement. Visible

proof of this was their failure to attract the younger generation.

Attitude of the government

The British Indian Government was hostile to the Congress from the beginning

despite the latter's moderate methods & emphasis on loyalty to the British Crown.

The official attitude stiffened further after 1887 when the Government failed to

persuade the Congress to confine itself to social questions while the Congress was

becoming increasingly critical of the colonial rule.

Now, the Government resorted to open condemnation of the Congress, calling the

nationalists "seditious brahmins", "disloyal babus“ & ‘violent villains.’

Congressmen as ‘disappointed candidates for office & discontented lawyers who

represent no one but themselves.’

In 1888, Dufferin, the Viceroy, attacked the Congress in a public speech & ridiculed

it as representing only the elite ‘a microscopic minority.”

Dufferin called, the Congress "a factory of sedition".

George Hamilton, Secretary of State for India, accused the Congress leaders of

possessing ‘seditious & double sided character.’

Attitude of the government

Later, the Government adopted a 'divide & rule‘ policy towards the Congress.

The officials encouraged reactionary elements like Syed Ahmed khan & Raja Shiv

Prasad Singh of Benaras to organize the United Patriotic Association to counter,

Congress propaganda.

The Government also tried to divide the nationalists on the basis of religion &

through a policy of 'carrot & stick', pitted the Moderates against the Extremists. But

it failed to check the rising tide of nationalism.

This hostility did not abate when the Moderates, who then controlled the Congress,

began to distance themselves from the rising militant nationalist tendencies of

certain sections of the Congress which became apparent when the government

unleashed a repressive policy against the Indian Press in 1897.

British appeared more eager to attack & finish the Congress. Why was this so?

1st because however moderate & loyal in their political perception the Moderates

were, they were still nationalists and propagators of anti-colonialist politics & ideas.

As Curzon put it in 1905: ‘Gokhale either does not see where he is going, or if he

does see it, then he is dishonest or his pretensions. You Cannot awaken & appeal to

the spirit of nationality in India & at the same time, profess loyal acceptance of

British rule.’

George Hamilton, the Secretary of State, had complained to Dadabhai in 1900: ‘You

announce yourself as a sincere supporter of British rule; you vehemently denounce

the condition, & consequences which are inseparable from the maintenance of that

rule.”

Important sessions of INC

1885 Gokuldas Tejpal sanskrit pathsala Bombay W.C.Bonnerjee (Indian Christian)

1886 Calcutta Dadabhai Naoroji (Parsee) 3 times presided , grand old man of India, father of

Indian economic nationalism

1887 Madras Badrudin Tyabji (1st muslim)

1888 Allahabad George Yule (1st European)

1889 Bombay William Wedderburn (2nd European)

1891 Nagpur P. Anand Charlu (1st Hindu)

1893 Lahore Dadabhai Naoroji

Some of the other great presidents of the Congress during this early phase were

Pheroz Shah Mehta

Surendranath Banerjee

Romesh Chandra Dutt

Ananda Mohan Bose

1905 ,Varanasi , Gopal Krishna Gokhale, difference between moderates & neo

nationalists on issue of swadeshi & boycott

1906 Calcutta Dada Bhai , 1st time Vande Matram was sung on INC platform

1907 Surat , Rash Bihari Ghosh

1908 Madras, Rash Bihari Ghosh same session reconvened, neo nationalists were

expelled from INC , 1908-1915 moderates dominance

1916 Lucknow Ambika Charan Majumdar Lucknow pact between INC & Muslim

League

Important sessions of INC

1917 Calcutta Annie Besant, 1st woman president ,4th European

1918 Delhi Madan Mohan Malviya

1919 Amritsar Motilal Nehru

1922 Gaya ,C.R Das, Congress Khilafat swaraj party ,

1924 Belgaum Mahatma Gandhi

1925 Kanpur Sarojini Naidu 2nd woman president, 1st Indian woman, 1st lady

governor of independent India

Important sessions of INC

1929 Lahore, Jawaharlal Nehru

1938 Haripura, Subhash Bose

1939 Tripuri, Subhash Bose

Pattabhi Sitaramiya

Rajendra Prasad

1940 Ramgarh, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad longest serving president (1940-45), No

annual session held

1946 Merrut , Acharya J.B.Kriplani, president at the eve of Independence, launched

Kisan Majdur Praja Party

1948 Jaipur Pattabhi Sitaramiya , 1st session after Independence

Important sessions of INC

Consider the following statements:

1) The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu.

2) The first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress was Badruddin Tyabji.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 nor 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

2015