Indian National Congress

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Rise of Indian National Congress

 

Predecessors of INC

  • East India Association
    • By Dadabhai Naoroji in 1866 in London
    • To discuss the Indian question and to influence the British public men to discuss Indian welfare
    • Branches of the association in prominent Indian cities
  • Indian Association
    • Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose in 1876, Calcutta
    • The aim of creating strong public opinion in the country on political questions and the unification of the Indian people on a common political programme
  • Poona Sarvajanik Sabha
  • Madras Mahajan Sabha
    • Viraraghavachari, Anand Charloo, G Subramanian Aiyer, 1884
  • Bombay Presidency Association
    • Pherozshah Mehta, K T Telang, Badruddin Tyabji, 1885
  • These organizations were narrow in their scope and functioning. They dealt mostly with local questions and their membership were confined to a few people belonging to a single city or province

 

Indian National Congress

  • Indian National Congress was founded on 28 December 1885 by 72 political workers. A O Hume was the first secretary and was instrumental in establishing the Congress
  • First session in Bombay. President: W C Bonnerjee
  • With the formation of INC, the Indian National Movement was launched in a small but organized manner
  • The Congress itself was to serve not as a party but as a movement
  • Congress was democratic. The delegates to INC were elected by different local organizations and groups
  • Sovereignty of the people
  • In 1890, Kadambini Ganguli, the first woman graduate of Calcutta University addressed the Congress session
  • Safety Valve Theory
    • The INC was started under the official direction, guidance and advice of Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy, to provide a safe, mild, peaceful and constitutional outlet or safety valve for the rising discontent among the masses, which was inevitably leading towards a popular and violent revolution.

Does the safety valve theory explain the formation of Congress?

  • The safety valve theory is inadequate and misleading
  • INC represented the urge of the Indian educated class to set up a national organization to work for their political and Economic Development
  • A number of organizations, as mentioned above, had already been started by the Indians towards that end
  • Hume’s presence in Congress was used to allay official suspicions

 

 

Why was there a need for an All-India organization?

  • Vernacular Press Act, 1878
  • Ilbert Bill (1883) which would allow Indian judges to try Europeans was opposed by the European community and was finally enacted in a highly compromised state in 1884.
  • The Indians realized that they could not get the Ilbert bill passed because they were not united on all India level. Hence need for INC was felt.
  • In order to give birth to the national movement
    • Creation of national Leadership was important
    • Collective identification was created

 

Aims of INC

  • Promotion of friendly relations between nationalist political workers from different parts of the country
  • Development and consolidation of the feeling of national unity irrespective of caste, religion or province
  • Formulation of popular demands and their presentation before the government
  • Training and organization of public opinion in the country

 

  • The first major objective of the Indian national movement was to promote weld Indians into a nation, to create an  Indian identity
  • Fuller development and consolidation of sentiments of national unity
    • Efforts for unity: In an effort to reach all regions, it was decided to rotate the congress session among different parts of the country. The President was to belong to a region other than where the congress session was being held.
    • To reach out to the followers of all religions and to remove the fears of the minorities, a rule was made at the 1888 session that no resolution was to be passed to which an overwhelming majority of Hindu or Muslim delegates objected.
    • In 1889, a minority clause was adopted in the resolution demanding reform of legislative councils. According to the clause, wherever Parsis, Christians, Muslims or Hindus were a minority their number elected to the councils would not be less than their proportion in the Population.
    • To build a secular nation, the congress itself had to be intensely secular
  • The second major objective of the early congress was to create a common political platform or programme around which political workers in different parts of the country could gather and conduct their political activities.
    • Due to its focus solely on political issues congress did not take up the question of social reform.
  • Since this form of political participation was new to India, the arousal, training, organization and consolidation of public opinion was seen as a major task by the congress leaders.
    • Going beyond the redressal of immediate grievances and organize sustained political activity.

 

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The Indian National Congress (INC) is one of the oldest Political Parties in the world. It was founded in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, with the aim of promoting the interests of educated Indians. The INC initially focused on social reform and Education, but it soon became involved in the struggle for Indian independence from British rule.

The INC’s ideology is based on the principles of Democracy, Secularism-2/”>Secularism, and Socialism. It is committed to the values of Equality, justice, and freedom. The INC believes that India should be A Secular State, where all religions are treated equally. It also believes that India should be a socialist state, where the government plays a role in ensuring economic equality.

The INC is a mass-based party with a membership of over 70 million people. It is organized into a hierarchical structure, with a national executive, state committees, and local branches. The INC’s leadership is elected by its members. The current president of the INC is Sonia Gandhi.

The INC has been the dominant political party in India for most of its history. It has won the most seats in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament) in every general election since 1984. The INC has also formed the government at the national level for most of the time since 1947.

The INC has been involved in a wide range of activities, including social reform, education, and the struggle for independence. It has also been involved in the governance of India, both at the national and state levels. The INC has played a major role in shaping the development of India since independence.

The INC has achieved a number of successes, including the independence of India, the introduction of democracy, and the promotion of economic development. However, it has also been criticized for its Corruption, Nepotism, and lack of accountability.

The INC is a complex and multifaceted organization with a long and rich history. It has played a major role in the development of India, and it continues to be a major force in Indian politics.

The INC has been criticized for its corruption, nepotism, and lack of accountability. In recent years, there have been a number of scandals involving INC leaders, including allegations of bribery, Money laundering, and misuse of power. The INC has also been accused of cronyism, with party leaders accused of giving preferential treatment to their friends and family. The INC has also been criticized for its lack of Transparency and Accountability. The party has been accused of being secretive and of not being responsive to the needs of its members and supporters.

Despite these criticisms, the INC remains a powerful force in Indian politics. The party has a strong organization and a large base of support. The INC is also well-funded and has a strong media presence. The party is likely to remain a major player in Indian politics for many years to come.

What is the Indian National Congress?

The Indian National Congress (INC) is a political party in India. It was founded in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant. The INC was the principal nationalist movement in India during the British Raj. It led the Indian independence movement and played a major role in the drafting of the Constitution of India. The INC is the oldest political party in the world.

What are the main goals of the Indian National Congress?

The main goals of the Indian National Congress are to:

  • Promote national unity and Integrity
  • Protect the rights of all Indians
  • Promote economic development and social justice
  • Promote secularism and democracy

Who are the leaders of the Indian National Congress?

The current president of the Indian National Congress is Sonia Gandhi. The current vice president of the Indian National Congress is Rahul Gandhi.

What are the achievements of the Indian National Congress?

The Indian National Congress has achieved many things in its long history. Some of its most notable achievements include:

  • Leading the Indian independence movement
  • Playing a major role in the drafting of the Constitution of India
  • Being the oldest political party in the world
  • Promoting national unity and integrity
  • Protecting the rights of all Indians
  • Promoting economic development and social justice
  • Promoting secularism and democracy

What are the challenges facing the Indian National Congress?

The Indian National Congress is facing a number of challenges, including:

  • Corruption
  • Infighting
  • A declining vote share
  • A rise in Hindu nationalism

What is the future of the Indian National Congress?

The future of the Indian National Congress is uncertain. The party is facing a number of challenges, but it is also a powerful and well-established organization. It is possible that the INC will continue to be a major force in Indian politics, but it is also possible that it will decline in importance.

Sure, here are some MCQs without mentioning the topic Indian National Congress:

  1. Which of the following is not a major political party in India?
    (A) Bharatiya Janata Party
    (B) Indian National Congress
    (C) Communist Party of India
    (D) All India Trinamool Congress

  2. The current Prime Minister of India is:
    (A) Narendra Modi
    (B) Rahul Gandhi
    (C) Sonia Gandhi
    (D) Manmohan Singh

  3. The capital of India is:
    (A) New Delhi
    (B) Mumbai
    (C) Chennai
    (D) Kolkata

  4. The Official Language of India is:
    (A) Hindi
    (B) English
    (C) Bengali
    (D) Tamil

  5. India is a member of which of the following international organizations?
    (A) United Nations
    (B) Non-Aligned Movement
    (C) G20
    (D) All of the above

  6. The currency of India is:
    (A) Indian rupee
    (B) Pakistani rupee
    (C) Bangladeshi taka
    (D) Sri Lankan rupee

  7. The population of India is over:
    (A) 1 billion
    (B) 2 billion
    (C) 3 billion
    (D) 4 billion

  8. India is a secular state. This means that:
    (A) The government does not favor any particular religion
    (B) The government is run by a religious leader
    (C) The government is run by a group of religious leaders
    (D) The government is run by a single religion

  9. India is a democratic country. This means that:
    (A) The people have the right to vote
    (B) The people have the right to free speech
    (C) The people have the right to assemble
    (D) All of the above

  10. India is a federal republic. This means that:
    (A) The country is divided into states
    (B) The states have their own governments
    (C) The states have their own laws
    (D) All of the above

I hope these MCQs were helpful!

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