ASSIGNMENT – 2PRESENTATIONROLE OF INDIAN

NATIONAL CONGRESSIN THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE

BY Deepak Jetly

The Congress was founded by Indian and British members of the Theosophical Society

On 28 December 1885, the Indian National Congress was founded at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay, with 72 delegates in attendance.

Hume assumed office as the General Secretary, and Womesh Chandra Bannerjee of Calcutta was elected President.

Origins of

Indian National

Congress

Objectives

of Congress

Its objective was to obtain a greater share

in government for educated and Indians create a platform for

civic and political dialogue between

educated Indians and the British Raj.  

It demanded the separation of the judiciary from the

executive, the repeal of the Arms Act and the

freedom of speech and expression.

It demanded reduction of revenue, cut in

military expenditure and more funds for irrigation.

In the beginning, the Congress never attempted to address the issues of poverty, lack of health care, social oppression, and the prejudiced negligence of the people's concerns by British authorities.

Many Muslim and other minorities community leaders, like the prominent educationalist Syed Ahmed Khan, viewed the Congress negatively, owing to its membership being dominated by Hindus. 

• Phase IModerates VS

Extremists

In the first two decades after its formation, the Congress was dominated by a group of leaders who came to be known as the ‘Moderates’. They favoured orderly progress and constitutional agitation.

But by 1907, a rival group, the ‘Extremists’, who adopted a more aggressive approach towards British rule, also came into prominence.

Moderates

Extremists

Later, with Mahatma Gandhi returning from South Africa and leading the nationalist movement, Satyagraha and passive resistance became the main aspects of Congress strategy and thinking, from the 1920s.

The divided Congress re-united in the pivotal Lucknow session in 1916, with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Gopal Krishna Gokhale adorning the stage together once again.

Tilak had considerably moderated his views, and now favoured political dialogue with the British. He, along with the young Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mrs. Annie Besant launched the Home Rule Movement

•Phase II: The Gandhian Era

Gandhi transformed the Congress from an elitist party based in the cities, to an organization of the people, through various reforms like: Membership fees were

reduced. Congress established a

large number of state units across India – known as Pradesh Congress.

All former practices distinguishing Congressmen on basis of caste, ethnicity, religion and sex were eliminated — all-India unity was stressed.

Native tongues were given official use and respect in Congress meetings.

Eligibility for leadership would be determined by how much social work a member had done, not by wealth or social standing.

Under the guidance of M.K. Gandhi tens of thousands of Congress volunteers to embrace major social problems across India. These were-

Untouchability and caste discrimination

Alcoholism Unhygienic conditions

and lack of sanitation Lack of health care and

medical aid Purdah and the

oppression of women Illiteracy, with the

organization of national schools and colleges

Poverty, with prolifting khadi cloth, cottage industries

. The Congress session was held at Lahore in 1929 under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Following decision were taken: The Congress declared Poorna Swaraj as its aim.

Under the Government of India Act 1935, the Congress first tasted political power in the provincial elections of 1937. It performed very well, coming to power in eight of the eleven provinces where elections were held.

They formed a secular nation state government in won provinces.

Provisional elections of 1937

Gandhiji decided to inaugurate the Civil Disobedience Movement by breaking the salt law.

The government imposed heavy tax on salt. Moreover, the production of salt was the monopoly of the government. So the price of salt was very high. Therefore, Gandhiji opposed the salt law.

Gandhiji and 78 of his followers started a march on foot from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.

When they reached Dandi. Gandhiji prepared salt by using sea water, broke the salt law and inaugurated the Movement.

The Final Battle

Foreign goods were boycotted. Liquor shops were picketed. Government servants resigned their jobs.

Many laws were broken. People refused to pay taxes. Many congress leaders were arrested. Workers attacked government offices.

Gandhiji called off the movement on 5 March 1931 under the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. He agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference.

It was restarted when Gandhiji returned from London. It was finally called off in 1934.

 In August 1942, Gandhiji started the 'Quit India Movement' and decided to launch a mass civil disobedience movement 'Do or Die' call to force the British to leave India.

The movement was followed, nonetheless, by largescale violence directed at railway stations, telegraph offices, government buildings, and other emblems and institutions of colonial rule.

There were widespread acts of sabotage, and the government held Gandhi responsible for these acts of violence, suggesting that they were a deliberate act of Congress policy.

However, all the prominent leaders were arrested, the Congress was banned and the police and army were brought out to suppress the movement.

•Congress party on the

partition.

• Within the Congress, the Partition was opposed by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan,

Saifuddin Kitchlew, Dr. Khan Sahib and

Congressmen from the provinces that would

inevitably become parts of Pakistan.

• Maulana Azad opposed partition in principle, but did not wish to impede the national leadership; preferred to stay with

Indian side.

The Congress was not consistent on the Partition. On April 2, 1942, the Congress Working Committee criticized the secession idea.

But at the same time Congress committee said that it cannot think in terms of compelling the people of any territorial unit to remain in the Indian Union against their declared and established will.

On September 24, 1944 Gandhi himself offered Jinnah his plan for “two sovereign independent Nation”. Thus, from 1940 onwards, the trend was unmistakably against India’s unity

Both Gandhi and the Congress had accepted the principle of Partition, based on consent of the areas concerned. Time was running out on India’s unity.

•THANK YOU ALL FOR

YOUR TIME.