Early Nationalism & INC Formation
National Movement · प्रारंभिक राष्ट्रवाद और INC · 17 facts
Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai) at the initiative of AO Hume, a retired ICS officer.
The first session of INC was held in Bombay in December 1885 with 72 delegates — WC Bonnerjee was the first President of the Indian National Congress.
Dadabhai Naoroji was the first Indian to be elected as President of INC (1886 Calcutta session) — he was also the first Asian MP in the British Parliament (1892).
Drain Theory — Dadabhai Naoroji in his book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India' (1901) argued that British rule was causing economic drain from India to Britain.
Early moderates (1885-1905): GK Gokhale, Surendranath Banerjee, Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshah Mehta — they believed in constitutional methods, petition, and prayer.
Moderate demands: expansion of legislative councils, inclusion of Indians in ICS examination in India, reduction of military expenditure, and development of Indian industries.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society in 1905 — he was Gandhi's political guru. Gokhale believed in gradual constitutional reform.
Surendranath Banerjee founded the Indian Association in Calcutta in 1876 — it was a forerunner of the INC. He was called 'Surrender Not' for his fierce nationalism.
Poona Pact (September 24, 1932) — Gandhi and Ambedkar agreed on reserved seats for depressed classes within Hindu electorate instead of separate electorates (Communal Award). Gandhi's fast forced the agreement.
Communal Award (1932) — announced by British PM Ramsay MacDonald — proposed separate electorates for Muslims, Sikhs, and Depressed Classes (untouchables). Gandhi opposed it for untouchables.
INC achieved significant early reforms: Indians Act 1892 expanded councils, Indian Councils Act 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms) introduced limited representative institutions.
Minto-Morley Reforms (1909) introduced separate electorates for Muslims — this was the beginning of communal divide that eventually led to partition.
All India Muslim League was founded in Dhaka in 1906 — promoted Muslim political interests and later demanded a separate nation for Muslims.
Lucknow Pact (1916) — a historic agreement between Congress (Tilak) and Muslim League (Jinnah) — Congress accepted separate electorates; Muslim League accepted Congress demands.
Karachi Resolution (1931) — INC adopted the Fundamental Rights and National Economic Programme resolution under Sardar Patel's presidency — a landmark in defining India's vision.
Tripuri Session (1939) — Subhas Chandra Bose was elected Congress President defeating Gandhi's candidate Pattabhi Sitaramayya — later resigned under Gandhi's pressure.
Congress Socialist Party was founded within INC in 1934 by Jayaprakash Narayan and Achyut Patwardhan — it represented the socialist wing of the independence movement.