Write about Indian National Congress –(a) Background(b) Foundation(c) Moderate and extremist thought process

Answer:

(a) Background:

• Western education and newspapers created political awareness; associations like the Bombay Association, Poona Sarvajanik Sabha (1870), Indian Association (1876) and Madras Mahajan Sabha were formed.
• Lord Lytton's repressive measures (Vernacular Press Act 1878, Arms Act) and the Ilbert Bill controversy (1883) showed the need for an all-India political organisation.

(b) Foundation:

• Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British officer, took the initiative.
• The Indian National Congress was founded on 28 December 1885 at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Mumbai; 72 delegates attended and W.C. Bonnerjee was the first president.

(c) Moderate and extremist thought process:

• Moderates (Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshah Mehta, Justice Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale) believed in British justice and used constitutional methods: petitions, speeches and resolutions. They demanded gradual reforms and exposed economic exploitation (Drain theory).
• Extremists (Lokmanya Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal) had no faith in British justice. They demanded Swaraj (‘Swaraj is my birthright’) and used boycott, swadeshi, national education and mass agitation.
• The differences led to the split of the Congress at Surat in 1907.