POLITICAL ASSOCIATIONS IN BENGAL PRESIDENCY

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1. Role of Raja Ram Mohan Roy 1
(1) pioneer  Rammohan Roy, the Morning Star of reform movement in the country, was considered as pioneer of
the political movement in India.
(2) Western Ideas  deeply influenced by Western ideas.
(3) Press and Appointments  He demanded liberty of press and appointment of Indians to higher posts.
(4) Charter Act 1833  It is believed that some of the provisions of the Charter Act of 1833 were due to his efforts in
England.
(5) catalyst He acted as a catalyst in political awakening
2. Bangbhasha Prakashika Sabha
(1) formed by the associates of Raja Rammohan Roy
3. Landholders' Society
(1) 1838
(2) Zamindari Association or Landholders' Society (Calcutta)
(3) founded by
i. Radhakanta Deb
ii. Dwarkanath Tagore
4. Bengal British India Society
5. British Indian Association
(1) (1851)
(2) Landholders' Society + Bengal British India Society  British Indian Association
(3) Founded at Calcutta with
i. Radhakanta Deb as President (First President)
ii. Dwarkanath Tagore as secretary
(4) Later, its branches  Bombay and Madras. Known as the Bombay Association and the Madras Native
Association respectively.
(5) Demands  These three presidency associations sent suggesting changes in EIC’s charter. Petitions prayed for
i. a separate popular legislature,
ii. bigger share for Indians in administration of their country,
iii. separation of judicial from executive functions,
iv. reduction in the salaries of higher officials,
v. abolition of taxes such as salt, stamp and abkari (excise) duties and
vi. aid to indigenous industry.
vii. improving the condition of peasants.
(6) Contribution
i. Many of these demands were later taken up by the Congress.
ii. The prayers of the Association were partially met and the Charter of 1853 provided for the addition of six
members in the Governor General's Council for legislative purpose.
(7) The British Indian Association continued to function even after the formation of the Indian National Congress.
6. Associations before 1858 vs Associations after 1858
(1) Associations before 1858
i. The chain of political activity was first triggered in 1838 with the formation of Landholder's Society in
Bengal. One by one, several political associations emerged in different parts of the country.
ii. +ve  stirring political momentum
iii. soon people became dissatisfied with many of them for various reasons.
1. For instance, all these associations were dominated by wealthy landed gentry.
2. The annual subscription fee for British India Association was 50 per annum which was too high
for the middle class.
3. Another drawback was that such associations tended to promote their class interests.
4. They were also found to be active in their own provinces and had little influence over the rest of
the country.
(2) Associations after 1858:
i. However, those formed after 1858 were dominated by the educated middle class and had a larger
agenda.
ii. The period after 1858 saw a gradual widening of the gulf between the educated Indians and the British
government.
iii. By 1870s, a new elite had emerged in the Presidency towns, sharing a similar educational background
and aspirations.
 iv. Ideas of nationalism moved in the air and individuals belonging to this class now began to form popular,
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mass-based associations to promote political consciousness among various sections of Indian people.
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v. Thus, during the period 1875-85, political thrust came from younger, more radical nationalist intellectuals.
7. Indian League
(1) Sisir Kumar Ghosh founded
(2) SK Ghosh  founder of Amrita Bazaar Patrika (1868, a noted Bengali newspaper).
8. Indian Association
(1) (1876)
(2) most important pre-Congress organisation
(3) founded by
i. Ananda Mohan Bose
ii. Surendranath Banerjee.
(4) Inspired by ideas of Mazzini
(5) Aims included  promoting Hindu-Muslim unity
(6) Indian Civil Service Agitation  When in 1876, Lytton reduced the maximum age for appearing in the ICS to 19
years from 21 years, the Indian Association took up this issue and organised a pan-India agitation, also known as
the Indian Civil Service Agitation.
(7) Two All India National Conference – 1883 and 1885
i. Indian Association organised two All India National Conference – 1883 and 1885. Surendranath
Banerjee and Anand Mohan Bose were the main architects of the All India National Conference (this was
the reason why Banerjee could not attend the founding session of the INC in December 1885).
POLITICAL ASSOCIATIONS IN BOMBAY PRESIDENCY
1. Bombay Association
(1) (1852)
(2) Branch of British Indian Association (Calcutta) in Bombay
2. Poona Sarvajanik Sabha
(1) Poona Sarvajanik Sabha was formed in Poona by …………..
i. MG Ranade,
ii. SH Chiplunkar
iii. Ganesh Vasudeo Joshi
(2) It worked in close association with the Bombay Presidency Association
(3) This body is considered as a precursor to the Indian National Congress which was also formed in Maharashtra.
(4) The Sabha produced many of the early leaders of the national movement including Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
3. Bombay Presidency Association
(1) (1885)= INC - 0
(2) Bombay presidency association was formed by popularly called brothers-in-law
i. Pherozeshah Mehta,
ii. KT Telang
iii. Badruddin Tyabji, representing the three communities of Bombay.
(3) Note
i. Pherozeshah Mehta (a leading lawyer of Bombay and a political activist)
ii. Badruddin Tyabji (a leading lawyer, served as third President of INC)
iii. Kashinath Trimbak Telang (a judge at Bombay High Court)
POLITICAL ASSOCIATIONS IN MADRAS PRESIDENCY
1. Madras (Native) Association
(1) (1852)
(2) A branch of the British Indian Association of Calcutta
2. Madras Mahajan Sabha
(1) (1884) = INC -1
(2) Founders (ICC)
i. G Subramaniya Iyer,
ii. M Viraraghavachariar,
iii. P Ananda Charlu
POLITICAL ASSOCIATIONS IN ENGLAND
1. East India Association
(1) (1866)
(2) formed in London
 (3) by some Indian students like ……………..
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i. Dadabhai Naoroji
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ii. Pherozeshah Mehta,
iii. Badruddin Tayabji,
iv. Manmohan Ghose
(4) to carry on political propaganda in England, discuss the Indian question and work for the interest and welfare of the
Indians.
(5) Dadabhai Naoroji (1825-1917)
i. the 'Grand Old Man of India'.
ii. early nationalist leader
iii. the first economic thinker of India.
iv. He is credited with the founding of the INC along with AO Hume and DE Wacha. He served as the
President of the INC three times.
v. He was the first Indian to become a British MP in the British House of Commons
vi. He was also the first to give the theory of Drain of Wealth in his book The Poverty and Unbritish Rule
in India, and showed that India's poverty was due to British exploitation and drain of wealth.
TRENDS TOWARDS AN ALL-INDIA POLITICAL ORGANISATION
1. Political consciousness
2. Nationalism
PYQ-Pre-Exam

Practice – Pre
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Practice – Mains