Indian National Congress & Freedom Struggle

1. Formation of Indian National Congress (1885)

• President: Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee
• 72 delegates attended from across India.

• Expansion and reform of legislative councils.
• Indianization of civil services.
• Separation of judicial and executive functions.
• Reduction in military expenditure.
• Free trade and protection of Indian industry.

2. Partition of Bengal & Swadeshi Movement (1905)

• Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal into East Bengal and Assam (Muslim majority) and West Bengal (Hindu majority) on communal lines.
• Official reason: Administrative convenience. Real motive: To weaken the nationalist movement by dividing Hindus and Muslims, and to undermine Bengali unity.
• October 16, 1905 became Raksha Bandhan day — Hindus and Muslims tied threads on each other's wrists as a symbol of unity.
• Tagore composed "Amar Sonar Bangla" (which became Bangladesh's national anthem).

• Massive boycott of British goods — especially Manchester cloth and Liverpool salt.
• Promotion of Indian industries, crafts, and education.
• Swadeshi stores (national shops) opened; Swadeshi Mills established.
• Leaders: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai (the Lal-Bal-Pal trio) and Aurobindo Ghose.
• Movement had a cultural dimension — national songs, festivals (Ganapati and Shivaji festivals started by Tilak).

• Deep divide between Moderates (led by Gokhale — Surat faction) and Extremists (led by Tilak — Nag-pur faction).
• At the Surat Session (1907), a physical brawl broke out — Congress split into two groups.
• British used the split to weaken the nationalist movement — Tilak was arrested in 1908.
• The two factions reunited at the Lucknow Session (1916) under Tilak and Mrs. Annie Besant.

3. Gandian Era: Non-Cooperation to Quit India

• Champaran Satyagraha (1917): First Satyagraha in India — against forced indigo cultivation by British planters in Bihar. Gandhi won.
• Kheda Satyagraha (1918): Against forced land revenue collection during famine in Gujarat.
• Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918): First hunger strike by Gandhi — secured pay raise for mill workers.

• Rowlatt Act (Black Act): Allowed arrest and imprisonment without trial for 2 years. Gandhi called for a hartal (strike) on April 6, 1919.
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919): General Dyer opened fire on an unarmed crowd gathered at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar (Baisakhi festival) — 379 killed officially (actual figures much higher); 1,137 wounded. Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest.
• Hunter Commission investigated the massacre.

• Launched by Gandhi at the Calcutta Special Session (Sept 1920) and formalized at Nagpur Session (Dec 1920).
• Programme: Boycott of government schools, colleges, courts, elections, legislatures; return of titles and honors; promotion of Swadeshi.
• Combined with Khilafat Movement (to protect the Ottoman Caliphate, led by Ali brothers — Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) — broad Hindu-Muslim unity.
• Withdrawal (February 1922): Gandhi called off the movement after the Chauri Chaura incident (February 5, 1922) — a mob burned a police station, killing 22 policemen. Gandhi felt violence was wrong.

• Lahore Session (December 1929): Congress declared Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) — January 26, 1930 celebrated as Independence Day.
• Dandi March (Salt March), March 12 – April 6, 1930: Gandhi walked 241 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (Gujarat) to break the Salt Law. The march formally launched Civil Disobedience.
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 5, 1931): Suspension of Civil Disobedience; Gandhi agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference (1931). Movement resumed 1932–34.
• Communal Award (August 1932): Ramsay MacDonald granted separate electorates to Depressed Classes — Gandhi went on a fast-unto-death; Poona Pact (Sept 24, 1932) with Ambedkar — reserved seats instead of separate electorates.

• Launched by Gandhi at the Bombay Session of INC — famous slogan: "Do or Die" (Karo ya Maro).
• British arrested all major Congress leaders on the night of August 8–9, 1942 (Operation Thunderbolt).
• Movement became leaderless but spontaneous — people attacked railway lines, telegraph offices, and government buildings.
• Underground leaders: Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Aruna Asaf Ali (hoisted Congress flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan).
• Parallel Governments (Provisional Governments): Established at Ballia (UP), Tamluk and Contai (Bengal), Satara (Maharashtra).
• Roughly 100,000 arrested, 1,000 killed in police firing; most severe repression since 1857.
• Significance: Demonstrated that the British could not govern India without Indian consent; set the stage for final independence.

4. Road to Independence: Key Constitutional Acts

• Introduced Dyarchy in provinces — transferred subjects (education, public health, agriculture) given to Indian ministers; reserved subjects (finance, law, police) retained by Governor.
• Bicameral legislature at the Centre (Council of State + Legislative Assembly).
• Franchise extended — property and tax qualifications.
• Created the Public Service Commission.

• The most comprehensive act before independence — provided the framework for India's later Constitution.
• Key features:
  • All-India Federation (never implemented — princely states refused to join).
  • Provincial Autonomy — provinces gained real autonomy; Dyarchy abolished in provinces and introduced at Centre (never implemented).
  • Separate electorates for Muslims, Sikhs, depressed classes, women, labour.
  • Federal Court established (precursor to Supreme Court).
  • Reserve Bank of India established.
  • Extended franchise to about 14% of population.
• Congress won 8 of 11 provinces in 1937 elections; formed governments.

• Proposed a three-tier federal structure: Union, Groups of Provinces, Provinces.
• Proposed a Constituent Assembly to frame constitution.
• Congress accepted conditionally; Jinnah and Muslim League rejected.

• June 3, 1947 — Lord Mountbatten announced partition.
• Indian Independence Act, 1947 (British Parliament): Provided for two independent dominions — India and Pakistan — from August 15, 1947.
• Princely states given choice to join either dominion or remain independent.
• Boundary Commission headed by Sir Cyril Radcliffe.