ASSIGNMENT NO 1

SUBJECT: PAKISTAN STUDIES

TOPIC:
1. Identify in detail the major course of events that led to the creation of
Indian National Congress by A. O. Hume in 1885. And also highlight
what were the reservations of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan regarding its
formation.

SUBMITTED BY:
LAIBA NAIMAT
SP22-BCS-042
BCS -2A

SUBMITTED TO:
SIR WAQAS AHSAN
DATE: 14th OCTOBER 2022
The major course of events that led to the
creation of Indian National Congress

ENGLISH EDUCATED INDIANS

Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British Indian Civil Service (ICS) official, formed the Indian
National Congress to create a forum for civil and political discourse among educated Indians.
Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the East India Company relinquished sovereignty of
India to the British Empire. The British Raj, or simply the Raj, tried to maintain and defend its
government of India through the help of English-educated Indians, who were more familiar with
and favorable to British culture and political philosophy.

Surprisingly, one of the ways the Congress expanded and thrived, notably during the 19th
century era of unquestionable British domination or hegemony, was via the patronage of British
authorities and a rising class of Indians and Anglo-Indians educated in the English-based British
tradition.

VICEROY’S APPROVAL
Hume obtained the viceroy's approval in May 1885 to establish an "Indian National Union,"
which would be associated with the government and serve as a forum for Indian public opinion.
On October 12, Hume and a group of educated Indians released "An Appeal from the People of
India to the Electors of Great Britain and Ireland," which exhorted British voters in the 1885
British general election to support candidates sympathetic to Indian concerns. These included
resistance to Indian taxes to fund British wars in Afghanistan, as well as advocacy for legislative
change in India. The appeal, however, was unsuccessful, and many Indians saw it as "a rude
shock, but a true realization that they had to fight their battles alone."

Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British Indian Civil Service (ICS) official, formed the Indian
National Congress to create a forum for civil and political discourse among educated Indians.
Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the East India Company relinquished sovereignty of
India to the British Empire.
MUSLIM REACTIONS

Many Muslim community leaders, like as eminent educationalist Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, were
critical of the Congress since its membership was dominated by Hindus. The Hindu community
and religious leaders were also concerned, considering the Congress as sympathetic to Western
cultural invasion.

The common people of India were not informed of or worried about its existence in general,
because Congress never sought to address the issues of poverty, lack of health care, social
oppression, and the British government's biased disregard for the people's concerns. The view of
bodies like the Congress was that of an exclusive organization for educated and rich people.

FOREIGN POLICY

The Indian National Congress has well-articulated foreign policy stances even before India's
independence. According to Rejaul Karim Laskar, an Indian National Congress ideologue and
professor of Indian foreign policy, "Right after the creation of the Indian National Congress, it
began stating its views on international affairs." The Indian National Congress, in its first session
in 1885, condemned the British Indian Government's annexation of upper Burma.

The reservations of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan believed that the Indian National Congress did not try to improve the lives
of Indian Muslims. One example happened when the Congress wanted population-based political
representation.

This meant that the Hindu majority would be in control, and Sir Syed was concerned that the
larger interests of Muslims, particularly in education, would be overlooked.  Syed criticized
the Indian National Congress .As a result, he was hostile to the Indian National Congress.