Foundation of Indian National congress and the economic critique of British rule

 

The Indian national congress was establish in 1885 . But before the formation  the congress there were many nationalist organizations which were on the scene .These organizations were successful in creating a public opinion against the British government.

Dwarkhanath Tagore had formed “Land Holders Association” in 1837 for the rights of landlords . Various organizations came up in Pune and Mumbai. In Bengal Surendranath Baneerji had establish Indian Association. He had also conducted various sessions of this organization.

Although this organization were confined in the local region but they have created a consciousness among the intellectual minds that we have become the slave of British mainly because of our own ignorance and that we need a united movement to thrown them out from our country.

There was a contact demand from the youth that a all India level conference should be organized to discuss the framework of the nationalist movement. Ganesh Vasudev Joshi and Sadashiv Ballal Govandey from the Maharashtra were on the forefront of this demand for the national conference of the nationalist from the India.

Although it is not clear who was behind the idea of formation of National Conference but the retired English Civil servant A.O. Hume had gathered the intellectuals from the all over India and formed the Indian national conference in 1885.

A.O. Hume had meet many nationalist from Mumbai and pune before the formation of the Indian national congress. He had meet Firozshah Mehta, Dinshaw Vatcha, Justice Telang and Dadabhai Nauroji.

There are various theories behind Hume forming a organization which is against the British Government. Some says that he had created a safety valve to release the nationalist minded voice against the Government. But it is not true. During the initial days of the national movement only educated , urban folks were participating as the idea of independence and the liberty had not reached the rural area.

After retiring from the services in 1882 Hume had started working on the  formation of all India movement against the British government. In 1883 while giving speech at the convocation ceremony of the Calcutta University he had expressed this thoughts on the formation of the National Conference.

Indian National Conference

A.O. Hume got huge positive response from all over the country for the formation of the National Conference against the British Government . So after the approval from the Governor General lord Dufferine the Indian National Conference was formed in 1885.

So at first it was decided to conduct the first session of Indian National Congress in Pune on the insistence of Justice Ranade. But due to the epidemic of Cholera in pune the venue of the Session was shifted  to Mumbai. Hence the first session of Indian National Congress was conducted in Mumbai on 28^th December 1885. The session was conducted in Sir Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit Vidyalaya. Nearly 72 delegates were present at the first session  and 38 of them were from the Maharashtra.

Shri Yomeshchandra Baneerje were elected as a first president of the first session of the Indian National Congress. Among those intellectuals present at the first session of the Indian National Conference were Firozshah Mehta, Dadabhai Nauroji, Justice Ranade ,Gopal Ganesh Agarkar ,Dr Bhandarkar ,Lokmanya Tilak, Dinshaw Wachtcha .

The formation of Indian National congress had triggered many in England. As the Indian National Congress is the first National level organization against the British Government in India.

At the first session various resolution were passed regarding the general public cause. Some of the resolution passes were as follows:

·       Reduce the over expenditure on the Indian Council

·       Increase the number elected representative in provincial governments

·       Reduce expenditure on Military and other expenses

·       Remove taxes on the salt

·       Increase the age limit for appearing in the civil services exam

·       Conduct the exam of civil services in India also.

 

The Congress was dominated by the moderated for nearly 20 years since its establishment. Dadabhai Nauroji, Firozshah Mehta, Justice ranade, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale were the staunch supporter of the moderate ideology.

The moderate believes  in the constitutional method for fulfilling the demands . They believes that good relations between British government and the nationalist forces is necessary for fulfilling the demands. Further they believes on the methods of petitions and memoranda.

In the initial days these methods yields some results. But the supporters of moderate ideology were mainly educated urban people. Common people were not involved in the nationalist movement . It is only after the Mahatma Gandhi came on the scene that common masses participate in the nationalist movement.

The London branch of Indian national congress was formed in 1888 by Dadabhai Nauroji and Surendranath Banerjee . They think that if we aware the common people of London about the conditions in India it would be easy to pressurize the British Government to persuade them to fulfil their demands.

Moderates Era

The 1886 session of congress was conducted in Calcutta. Dadabhai Nauroji was the president of this session.  Dadabhai presented that demand for holding the exam for civil services in India also. He also raised demand for increasing the number of elected representatives in the provincial legislative councils.

The 1887 session of congress was presided by Badruddin Tyabji. It was conducted in Madras. Badruddin tyabji was the first Muslim president of session of Indian National Congress. He invites Muslims of India to support the Indian national congress.

The 1888 session of congress was held at Allahabad under the president ship of gorge Yul. During this a counter organization was formed sir Sayyed Ahmed Khan. It is said that British had influence Sir Sayyed Ahmed Khan for forming such organization to oppose the growing influence of congress. He wanted Muslims to not to join the congress session.

Leaders from Maharashtra.

Maharashtra provided a line of leadership during the initial days of the congress. Dadabhai Nauroji the grand old man India had created a consensus among the nationalist by stating the economic exploitation of India by British.

He had explained the theory of economic drain to the common people.

Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade of Maharashtra was also a economic critique of British Government.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale had represented as a member in provincial legislative council as well as central legislative assembly.

So during the initial days Maharashtra and Mumbai had provided a series in leadership for the national movement.