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{{Short description|Indian political party history}} | |||
{{multiple issues| | {{multiple issues| | ||
{{more citations needed|date=April 2014}} | {{more citations needed|date=April 2014}} | ||
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}} | }} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}} | {{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date= | {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} | ||
[[File:1931 Flag of India.svg|thumb|The flag adopted in 1931 and used by the [[Arzi Hukumate Azad Hind|Provisional Government of Free India]] during the Second World War.]] | [[File:1931 Flag of India.svg|thumb|The flag adopted in 1931 and used by the [[Arzi Hukumate Azad Hind|Provisional Government of Free India]] during the Second World War.]] | ||
[[File:Marche sel.jpg|thumb|Nationalists on the Salt March]] | [[File:Marche sel.jpg|thumb|Nationalists on the Salt March]] | ||
The [[Indian National Congress]] was established when 72 delegates from all over the country met at Bombay in 1885. Prominent delegates included | The [[Indian National Congress]] was established when 72 delegates from all over the country met at Bombay in 1885. Prominent delegates included [[Dadabhai Naoroji]], [[Surendranath Banerjee]], [[Badruddin Tyabji]], [[Pherozeshah Mehta]] [[W. C. Bonnerjee]], [[S. Ramaswami Mudaliar]],<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rzWKAAAAMAAJ&q=Rao+Bahadur+Savalai+Mudaliar |title=The Encyclopaedia of Indian National Congress: 1885–1890, The founding fathers | author=A. Moin Zaidi |year=1976 |page=609 |language=en }}</ref> [[S. Subramania Iyer]], and [[Romesh Chunder Dutt]]. The Englishman [[Allan Octavian Hume]], a former British civil servant, was one of the founding members of the Indian National Congress. | ||
==Formation and early days ( | ==Formation and early days (1885–1905)== | ||
[[File:A O Hume.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Allan Octavian Hume]] | [[File:A O Hume.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Allan Octavian Hume]] | ||
Retired British [[Indian Civil Service (British India)|Indian Civil Service]] (ICS) officer [[Allan Octavian Hume]] founded the Indian National Congress | Retired British [[Indian Civil Service (British India)|Indian Civil Service]] (ICS) officer [[Allan Octavian Hume]] founded the Indian National Congress in order to form a platform for civil and political dialogue among educated Indians. After the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]], control of India was transferred from the [[British East India Company|East India Company]] to the [[British Empire]]. British-controlled India, known as the [[British Raj]], or just the Raj, worked to try to support and justify its governance of India with the aid of English-educated Indians, who tended to be more familiar with and friendly to British culture and political thinking. Ironically, a few of the reasons that the Congress grew and survived, particularly in the 19th century era of undisputed British dominance or [[hegemony]], was through the patronage of British authorities and the rising class of Indians and Anglo-Indians educated in the English language-based British tradition.{{citation needed| date=April 2014}} | ||
Hume embarked on an endeavor to get an organization started by reaching-out to selected alumni of the [[University of Calcutta]]. In an 1883 letter, he wrote that, <blockquote>Every nation secures precisely as good a Government as it merits. If you, the picked men, the most highly educated of the nation, cannot, scorning personal ease and selfish objects, make a resolute struggle to secure greater freedom for yourselves and your country, a more impartial administration, a larger share in the management of your own affairs, then we, your friends, are wrong and our adversaries right, then are Lord Ripon's noble aspirations for your good fruitless and visionary, then, at present at any rate all hopes of progress are at an end[,] and India truly neither desires nor deserves any better Government than she enjoys.<ref name="pattabhi1935">{{Citation | title=The History of the Indian National Congress | author=B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya | year=1935 | publisher=Working Committee of the Congress | url=https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfTheIndianNationalCongress}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2014}}</blockquote> | Hume embarked on an endeavor to get an organization started by reaching-out to selected alumni of the [[University of Calcutta]]. In an 1883 letter, he wrote that, <blockquote>Every nation secures precisely as good a Government as it merits. If you, the picked men, the most highly educated of the nation, cannot, scorning personal ease and selfish objects, make a resolute struggle to secure greater freedom for yourselves and your country, a more impartial administration, a larger share in the management of your own affairs, then we, your friends, are wrong and our adversaries right, then are Lord Ripon's noble aspirations for your good fruitless and visionary, then, at present at any rate all hopes of progress are at an end[,] and India truly neither desires nor deserves any better Government than she enjoys.<ref name="pattabhi1935">{{Citation | title=The History of the Indian National Congress | author=B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya | year=1935 | publisher=Working Committee of the Congress | url=https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfTheIndianNationalCongress}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2014}}</blockquote> | ||
In May 1885, Hume secured the [[viceroy#British India|viceroy]]'s approval to create an "Indian National Union", which would be affiliated with the government and act as a platform to voice Indian public opinion. Hume and a group of educated Indians came together on October | In May 1885, Hume secured the [[viceroy#British India|viceroy]]'s approval to create an "Indian National Union", which would be affiliated with the government and act as a platform to voice Indian public opinion. Hume and a group of educated Indians came together on 12 October and published "An Appeal from the People of India to the Electors of Great Britain and Ireland" which asked British voters in the [[1885 United Kingdom general election|1885 British general election]] to support candidates sympathetic to the positions of Indians. These included opposition to taxation of India to finance British campaigns in Afghanistan, and support for legislative reform in India.<ref name="riddick2006">{{Citation | title=The History of British India: a chronology | author=John F. Riddick | year=2006 | publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group | isbn=0-313-32280-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Es6x4u_g19UC}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2014}} The appeal however, was a failure, and was interpreted by many Indians as "a rude shock, but a true realization that they had to fight their battles alone."<ref name="yasin1996">{{Citation | title=Emergence of nationalism, Congress, and separatism | author=Madhvi Yasin | year=1996 | publisher=Raj Publications | isbn=81-86208-05-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NiJuAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2014}} | ||
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 Chunder Bonnerjee]] of Calcutta was elected president.<ref name="riddick2006" />{{Page needed|date=April 2014}} Besides Hume, two additional British members (both Scottish civil servants) were members of the founding group, [[William Wedderburn]] and Justice (later, Sir) [[Sir John Jardine, 1st Baronet|John Jardine]]. The other members were mostly Hindus from the [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]] and [[Madras Presidency|Madras Presidencies]].<ref name="riddick2006" />{{Page needed|date=April 2016}} {{clarify|date=November 2018|reason=So, who were the "Hindu" members? The names of the Brits are important, but not the Indians? Whole thing seems written from very British POV, seems a bit backwards.}} | 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 Chunder Bonnerjee]] of Calcutta was elected president.<ref name="riddick2006" />{{Page needed|date=April 2014}} Besides Hume, two additional British members (both Scottish civil servants) were members of the founding group, [[William Wedderburn]] and Justice (later, Sir) [[Sir John Jardine, 1st Baronet|John Jardine]]. The other members were mostly Hindus from the [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]] and [[Madras Presidency|Madras Presidencies]].<ref name="riddick2006" />{{Page needed|date=April 2016}} {{clarify|date=November 2018|reason=So, who were the "Hindu" members? The names of the Brits are important, but not the Indians? Whole thing seems written from very British POV, seems a bit backwards.}} | ||
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c) Constitutional: The humble demand made by the early Congress leaders in respect to constitutional matters were: to increase the power of legislative councils; to include elected Indian representatives. It must be mentioned here that the British government of India paid scant regard to the above demands made by Congress. | c) Constitutional: The humble demand made by the early Congress leaders in respect to constitutional matters were: to increase the power of legislative councils; to include elected Indian representatives. It must be mentioned here that the British government of India paid scant regard to the above demands made by Congress. | ||
d) Economic: In the economic sphere, Congress blamed the economic | d) Economic: In the economic sphere, Congress blamed the economic policies of the British government that resulted in rising property prices and other economic issues which affected the Indian people. The Congress also put forward certain specific suggestions for the economic improvement of the country and her people. These included the introduction of modern industry, Indianization of public services, etc. The Congress also demanded the abolition of salt tax for the benefit particularly of the poor section of the people | ||
===Economic Policy=== | ===Economic Policy=== | ||
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=== Muslim Response=== | === Muslim Response=== | ||
Many Muslim community leaders, like the prominent educationalist [[Syed Ahmed Khan]], viewed the Congress negatively, owing to its membership being dominated by Hindus.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-Z9ODwAAQBAJ | Many Muslim community leaders, like the prominent educationalist [[Syed Ahmed Khan]], viewed the Congress negatively, owing to its membership being dominated by Hindus.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-Z9ODwAAQBAJ&pg=PT94|title=Discovery of Prehistory Ancient India: Krishna & Radha|first=Dr Jagat K.|last=Motwani|date=22 February 2018|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=9781532037900|via=Google Books}}</ref> [[Hindu]] community and religious leaders were also averse, seeing the Congress as supportive of Western cultural invasion.<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/20078547|title=On the Origins of the Indian National Congress: A Case Study of Cross-Cultural Synthesis|author=Hanes, W. Travis|year=1993|journal=Journal of World History|volume=4|issue=1|pages=69–98|jstor=20078547|via=JSTOR}}</ref> | ||
The ordinary people of India were not informed of or concerned about its existence on the whole, for 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 the British government. The perception of bodies like the Congress was that of an elitist, then educated and wealthy people's institution.<ref name="auto"/> | The ordinary people of India were not informed of or concerned about its existence on the whole, for 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 the British government. The perception of bodies like the Congress was that of an elitist, then educated and wealthy people's institution.<ref name="auto"/> | ||
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===Rise of Indian nationalism=== | ===Rise of Indian nationalism=== | ||
[[File:1st INC1885.jpg|right|300px|thumb|First session of Indian National Congress, Bombay, 28–31, December, 1885.]] | [[File:1st INC1885.jpg|right|300px|thumb|First session of Indian National Congress, Bombay, 28–31, December, 1885.]] | ||
The first spurts of nationalistic sentiment that rose amongst Congress members were when the desire to be represented in the bodies of government, to have a say, a vote in the lawmaking and issues of administration of India. Congressmen saw themselves as loyalists, but wanted an active role in governing their own country, albeit as part of the Empire.<ref | The first spurts of nationalistic sentiment that rose amongst Congress members were when the desire to be represented in the bodies of government, to have a say, a vote in the lawmaking and issues of administration of India. Congressmen saw themselves as loyalists, but wanted an active role in governing their own country, albeit as part of the Empire.<ref name="auto1"/> | ||
This was personified by [[Dadabhai Naoroji]], considered by many as the eldest Indian statesman. Naoroji went as far as contesting, successfully, an election to the British House of Commons, becoming its first Indian member. That he was aided in his campaign by young, aspiring Indian student activists like [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]], describes where the imagination of the new Indian generation lay.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52829458|title=The Grand Old Man of India who became Britain's first Asian MP| | This was personified by [[Dadabhai Naoroji]], considered by many as the eldest Indian statesman. Naoroji went as far as contesting, successfully, an election to the British House of Commons, becoming its first Indian member. That he was aided in his campaign by young, aspiring Indian student activists like [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]], describes where the imagination of the new Indian generation lay.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52829458|title=The Grand Old Man of India who became Britain's first Asian MP|publisher=BBC News|date=4 July 2020}}</ref> | ||
[[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]] was among the first Indian nationalists to embrace ''[[swaraj]]'' as the destiny of the nation. Tilak deeply opposed the British colonial education system in India which he thought ignored and defamed India's culture, history, and values, defying and disgracing the Indian culture. He resented the denial of freedom of expression for nationalists and the lack of any voice or role for ordinary Indians in the affairs of their nation. For these reasons, he considered ''swaraj'' as the natural and only solution: the abandonment of all things British, which would protect the Indian economy from economic exploitation and gradually lead to eventual Indian independence. He was backed by rising public leaders like [[Bipin Chandra Pal]] and [[Lala Lajpat Rai]], [[Aurobindo Ghose]], [[V. O. Chidambaram Pillai]] who held the same point of view. Under them, India's four great states – Madras, Bombay, Bengal, and Punjab region shaped the demand of the people and India's nationalism.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p2qFYxtq3GYC | [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]] was among the first Indian nationalists to embrace ''[[swaraj]]'' as the destiny of the nation. Tilak deeply opposed the British colonial education system in India which he thought ignored and defamed India's culture, history, and values, defying and disgracing the Indian culture. He resented the denial of freedom of expression for nationalists and the lack of any voice or role for ordinary Indians in the affairs of their nation. For these reasons, he considered ''swaraj'' as the natural and only solution: the abandonment of all things British, which would protect the Indian economy from economic exploitation and gradually lead to eventual Indian independence. He was backed by rising public leaders like [[Bipin Chandra Pal]] and [[Lala Lajpat Rai]], [[Aurobindo Ghose]], [[V. O. Chidambaram Pillai]] who held the same point of view. Under them, India's four great states – Madras, Bombay, Bengal, and Punjab region shaped the demand of the people and India's nationalism.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p2qFYxtq3GYC&pg=PA55|title=Freedom Fighters of India (in Four Volumes)|first=M. G.|last=Agrawal|date=31 July 2008|publisher=Gyan Publishing House|isbn=9788182054684|via=Google Books}}</ref> | ||
The moderates, led by [[Gopal Krishna Gokhale]], [[Pherozeshah Mehta]], and Dadabhai Naoroji, held firm to calls for negotiations and political dialogue. Gokhale criticized Tilak for encouraging acts of violence and disorder. The Congress of 1906 did not have public membership, and thus Tilak and his supporters were forced to leave the party.<ref>The moderates, led by [[Gopal Krishna Gokhale]], [[Pherozeshah Mehta]], and Dadabhai Naoroji, held firm to calls for negotiations and political dialogue. Gokhale criticized Tilak for encouraging acts of violence and disorder. The Congress of 1906 did not have public membership, and thus Tilak and his supporters were forced to leave the party.</ref> | The moderates, led by [[Gopal Krishna Gokhale]], [[Pherozeshah Mehta]], and Dadabhai Naoroji, held firm to calls for negotiations and political dialogue. Gokhale criticized Tilak for encouraging acts of violence and disorder. The Congress of 1906 did not have public membership, and thus Tilak and his supporters were forced to leave the party.<ref>The moderates, led by [[Gopal Krishna Gokhale]], [[Pherozeshah Mehta]], and Dadabhai Naoroji, held firm to calls for negotiations and political dialogue. Gokhale criticized Tilak for encouraging acts of violence and disorder. The Congress of 1906 did not have public membership, and thus Tilak and his supporters were forced to leave the party.</ref> | ||
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[[File:Annie Besant.png|thumbnail|right|Annie Besant was by far the most prominently involved European in the Indian struggle]] | [[File:Annie Besant.png|thumbnail|right|Annie Besant was by far the most prominently involved European in the Indian struggle]] | ||
When the British entered the [[British Indian Army]] into [[World War I]], it provoked the first definitive, nationwide political debate of its kind in India. Voices calling for political independence grew in number.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/indian-soldiers-world-war-one-germany-british-army-1026848-2017-07-28|title=World War I: Role of Indian Army in Britain's victory over Germany|date=July | When the British entered the [[British Indian Army]] into [[World War I]], it provoked the first definitive, nationwide political debate of its kind in India. Voices calling for political independence grew in number.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/indian-soldiers-world-war-one-germany-british-army-1026848-2017-07-28|title=World War I: Role of Indian Army in Britain's victory over Germany|date=28 July 2017|website=India Today}}</ref> | ||
The divided Congress re-united in the pivotal [[Lucknow]] session in 1916, with the efforts of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/968926/the-tilak-jinnah-pact-embodied-communal-harmony-that-is-much-needed-in-modern-day-india|title=The Tilak-Jinnah pact embodied communal harmony that is much needed in modern-day India|first=Sudheendra|last=Kulkarni|website=Scroll.in}}</ref> 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]] to put forth Indian demands for ''Home Rule'' – Indian participation in the affairs of their own country – a precursor to ''Swaraj''. The All India Home Rule League was formed to demand dominion status within the Empire.<ref | The divided Congress re-united in the pivotal [[Lucknow]] session in 1916, with the efforts of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/968926/the-tilak-jinnah-pact-embodied-communal-harmony-that-is-much-needed-in-modern-day-india|title=The Tilak-Jinnah pact embodied communal harmony that is much needed in modern-day India|first=Sudheendra|last=Kulkarni|website=Scroll.in}}</ref> 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]] to put forth Indian demands for ''Home Rule'' – Indian participation in the affairs of their own country – a precursor to ''Swaraj''. The All India Home Rule League was formed to demand dominion status within the Empire.<ref name="auto2"/> | ||
But another Indian man with another way was destined to lead the Congress and the Indian struggle. [[Mohandas Gandhi]] was a lawyer who had successfully led the struggle of Indians in South Africa against South African discriminatory laws. Returning to India in 1915, Gandhi looked to Indian culture and history, the values and lifestyle of its people to empower a new revolution, with the concept of non-violence, [[civil disobedience]], he coined a term, ''[[Satyagraha]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/the-making-of-gandhi-in-south-africa-and-after-852712.html|title=The making of Gandhi in South Africa and after|date=23 June 2020|website=Deccan Herald}}</ref> | But another Indian man with another way was destined to lead the Congress and the Indian struggle. [[Mohandas Gandhi]] was a lawyer who had successfully led the struggle of Indians in South Africa against South African discriminatory laws. Returning to India in 1915, Gandhi looked to Indian culture and history, the values and lifestyle of its people to empower a new revolution, with the concept of non-violence, [[civil disobedience]], he coined a term, ''[[Satyagraha]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/the-making-of-gandhi-in-south-africa-and-after-852712.html|title=The making of Gandhi in South Africa and after|date=23 June 2020|website=Deccan Herald}}</ref> | ||
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===Champaran and Kheda=== | ===Champaran and Kheda=== | ||
{{main|Champaran Satyagraha|Kheda Satyagraha}} | {{main|Champaran Satyagraha|Kheda Satyagraha}} | ||
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who later on became more popular as Mahatma Gandhi, had success in defeating the British in Champaran and Kheda, giving India its first victory in the struggle for freedom.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/gandhi-fought-the-british-with-weapons-of-truth-non-violence/article29577336.ece|title= | Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who later on became more popular as Mahatma Gandhi, had success in defeating the British in Champaran and Kheda, giving India its first victory in the struggle for freedom.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/gandhi-fought-the-british-with-weapons-of-truth-non-violence/article29577336.ece|title=Gandhi fought the British with weapons of truth, non-violence|newspaper=The Hindu|date=2 October 2019}}</ref> Then Indian National Congress had supported that movement; Indians gained confidence in the working of that organization that the British could be thwarted through that organization, and millions of young people from across the country flooded into Congress membership.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} | ||
===The Battle for the soul=== | ===The Battle for the soul=== | ||
A whole class of political leaders disagreed with Gandhi. [[Bipin Chandra Pal]], [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]], [[Annie Besant]], [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]] all criticized the idea of civil disobedience. But Gandhi had the backing of the people and a whole new generation of Indian nationalists.<ref>{{ | A whole class of political leaders disagreed with Gandhi. [[Bipin Chandra Pal]], [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]], [[Annie Besant]], [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]] all criticized the idea of civil disobedience. But Gandhi had the backing of the people and a whole new generation of Indian nationalists.<ref name="auto2">{{cite book | last=Singh | first=M.K. | title=Encyclopaedia of Indian War of Independence, 1857–1947: Birth of Indian National Congress : establishment of Indian National Congress | publisher=Anmol Publications| year=2009 | isbn=978-81-261-3745-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IlYwAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> | ||
In a series of sessions in 1918, 1919 and 1920, where the old and the new generations clashed in famous and important debates, Gandhi and his young supporters imbued the Congress rank-and-file with passion and energy to combat British rule directly.<ref | In a series of sessions in 1918, 1919 and 1920, where the old and the new generations clashed in famous and important debates, Gandhi and his young supporters imbued the Congress rank-and-file with passion and energy to combat British rule directly.<ref name="auto2"/> With the tragedy of the 1919 [[Amritsar Massacre]] and the riots in Punjab, Indian anger and passions were palpable and radical.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Prakash|first=Gyan|date=2019-04-13|title=Opinion {{!}} The Massacre That Led to the End of the British Empire|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/13/opinion/1919-amrtisar-british-empire-india.html|access-date=2021-08-24|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> With the election of Mohandas K. Gandhi to the presidency of the Indian National Congress, the battle of the party's soul was won, and a new path to India's destiny was forged.<ref name="auto2"/> | ||
Lokmanya Tilak, whom Gandhi had called ''The Father of Modern India'' died in 1920, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale had died four years earlier.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Indian_Political_Parties/i7yKAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Lokmanya+Tilak,+whom+Gandhi+had+called+The+Father+of+Modern+India+died+in+1920,+and+Gopal+Krishna+Gokhale+had+died+four+years+earlier.&dq=Lokmanya+Tilak,+whom+Gandhi+had+called+The+Father+of+Modern+India+died+in+1920,+and+Gopal+Krishna+Gokhale+had+died+four+years+earlier.&printsec=frontcover|title = Indian Political Parties|year = 1984|publisher = Meenakshi Prakashan}}</ref> [[Motilal Nehru]], [[Lala Lajpat Rai]] and some other stalwarts backed Gandhi as they were not sure that they can lead the people like Tilak and Gokhale. Thus it was now entirely up to Gandhi's Congress to show the way for the nation.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} | Lokmanya Tilak, whom Gandhi had called ''The Father of Modern India'' died in 1920, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale had died four years earlier.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Indian_Political_Parties/i7yKAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Lokmanya+Tilak,+whom+Gandhi+had+called+The+Father+of+Modern+India+died+in+1920,+and+Gopal+Krishna+Gokhale+had+died+four+years+earlier.&dq=Lokmanya+Tilak,+whom+Gandhi+had+called+The+Father+of+Modern+India+died+in+1920,+and+Gopal+Krishna+Gokhale+had+died+four+years+earlier.&printsec=frontcover|title = Indian Political Parties|year = 1984|publisher = Meenakshi Prakashan}}</ref> [[Motilal Nehru]], [[Lala Lajpat Rai]] and some other stalwarts backed Gandhi as they were not sure that they can lead the people like Tilak and Gokhale. Thus it was now entirely up to Gandhi's Congress to show the way for the nation.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} | ||
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==Expansion and re-organization== | ==Expansion and re-organization== | ||
Few years after the World War, the Congress expanded considerably, owing to public excitement after Gandhi's success in Champaran and Kheda. A whole new generation of leaders arose from different parts of India, who were committed Gandhians [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]], [[Rajendra Prasad]], [[Chakravarti Rajagopalachari]], [[Narhari Parikh]], [[Mahadev Desai]] | Few years after the World War, the Congress expanded considerably, owing to public excitement after Gandhi's success in Champaran and Kheda. A whole new generation of leaders arose from different parts of India, who were committed Gandhians [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]], [[Rajendra Prasad]], [[Chakravarti Rajagopalachari]], [[Narhari Parikh]], [[Mahadev Desai]] – as well as hot-blooded nationalists aroused by Gandhi's active leadership – [[Chittaranjan Das]], [[Subhas Chandra Bose]], [[S. Srinivasa Iyengar|Srinivasa Iyengar]].{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} | ||
Gandhi transformed the Congress from an elitist party based in the cities, to an organization of the people:{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} | Gandhi transformed the Congress from an elitist party based in the cities, to an organization of the people:{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} | ||
*Membership fees were considerably reduced. | *Membership fees were considerably reduced. | ||
*Congress established a large number of state units across India – known as ''Pradesh Congress Committees'' – based on its own configuration of India's states on basis of linguistic groups. PCCs emerged for ''[[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]], [[Gujarat]]'' | *Congress established a large number of state units across India – known as ''Pradesh Congress Committees'' – based on its own configuration of India's states on basis of linguistic groups. PCCs emerged for ''[[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]], [[Gujarat]]'' – states that did not yet exist and were spread over hundreds of princely states outside [[British India]]. | ||
*All former practices distinguishing Congressmen on basis of caste, ethnicity, religion and sex were eliminated | *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 – especially ''[[Urdu language|Urdu]]'' renamed by Gandhi as ''[[Hindustani language|Hindustani]]'', which was adopted for use by the All India Congress Committee. | *Native tongues were given official use and respect in Congress meetings – especially ''[[Urdu language|Urdu]]'' renamed by Gandhi as ''[[Hindustani language|Hindustani]]'', which was adopted for use by the All India Congress Committee. | ||
*Leadership posts and offices at all levels would be filled by elections, and not by appointments. This introduction of democracy was vital in rejuvenating the party, giving voice to ordinary members as well as valuable practice for Indians in democracy. | *Leadership posts and offices at all levels would be filled by elections, and not by appointments. This introduction of democracy was vital in rejuvenating the party, giving voice to ordinary members as well as valuable practice for Indians in democracy. | ||
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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]], an Indian Islamic scholar, [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed partition]] in principle, but did not wish to impede the national leadership; preferred to stay with Indian side. {{citation needed|date=October 2015}} | 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]], an Indian Islamic scholar, [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed partition]] in principle, but did not wish to impede the national leadership; preferred to stay with Indian side. {{citation needed|date=October 2015}} | ||
== | ==1947–1952: Transformation== | ||
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[File:Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.jpg|framepx100|Right|thumb|Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the Deputy Prime Minister of India]] --> | <!-- Unsourced image removed: [[File:Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.jpg|framepx100|Right|thumb|Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the Deputy Prime Minister of India]] --> | ||
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[File:Nehru firstspeech.jpg|thumb|250px|Jawaharlal Nehru making his first speech in Independent India]] --> | <!-- Unsourced image removed: [[File:Nehru firstspeech.jpg|thumb|250px|Jawaharlal Nehru making his first speech in Independent India]] --> | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist | {{reflist}} | ||
==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
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{{Gandhi}} | {{Gandhi}} | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:History | {{DEFAULTSORT:History of the Indian National Congress}} | ||
[[Category:Indian independence movement]] | [[Category:Indian independence movement]] | ||
[[Category:History of the Indian National Congress| ]] | [[Category:History of the Indian National Congress| ]] | ||