Congress-League Dichotomy

Indian National Congress

• Indian National Congress Founded in 1885 by a narrowly based national
elite, the Indian National Congress (INC) gradually transformed into a
broad-based nationalist organization from the beginning of the 20th
century. The Congress was founded by A.O.Hume who was a former
home secretary of India. Professor Khalid bin Sayeed in his book, entitled,
Pakistan: The Formative Phase, wrote that the formation of the Indian
National Congress was largely inspired by British influence (Sayeed,1960,
page:29).
Aims & Objectives
• The first and foremost major objectives of INC was to promote the nation-building process in India. It was to
create a national identity of being an Indian among the people and to promote National Unity. This was
important because colonial administrators did not consider India as a nation, but just a geographical  expression.
• To provide for an all India political platform: It was to allow political workers from  all over the country to
educate and mobilize masses under a common all India political organization.
• To promote political consciousness and political awakening among the educated citizens and then to all the
sections of the society.
• To create a common Pan-India political leadership (or the headquarters of the movement). A national leadership
was the 'sine qua non' for the success of the national movement.
• To promote political liberal democracy and democratic culture in the country. The working structure of Congress
sessions was democratic through debates, discussions, and voting.
• To create and promote anti-colonial ideology among the people. This was essential for the success of national
movement against the authoritarian and colonial government.
• To prepare and put forward the popular demand of Indian national congress before the government. This was to
ensure the public welfare and also to unify them over these issues.
All-India Muslim League
• At the beginning, the Muslims were not
attracted to INC in significant numbers. Sir
Sayyed Ahmad advised the Muslims to keep
themselves away from INC in the interest of
furthering Muslim solidarity.
Roles and Growth of the political party system
• Viceroy Lord Curzon's measure of partitioning the province of Bengal in
1905 evoked strong protest from the Bangali Hindu leaders and
ultimately gave rise to militant politics of Aurobindo Ghosh, Bipin
Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai. The Calcutta-based 
SWADESHI MOVEMENT and the programme of boycotting British goods
were instrumental in creating the extremist faction within the INC. Tilak
died in 1919 and Mahatma Gandi returned to India from South Africa.
Since then the nationalist independence movement took a new turn.
Gandi and Ali brothers played a key role in the Khilfat and Non-
cooperation movement in 1920s. India got its independence in 1947
under the leaderships of the INC.
• When the British government involved India in Britain's war efforts in
1914 without consulting Indian opinion, strong Indian resentment
against this policy brought the INC and the ML closer. The leaders of INC
and ML entered into Lucknow Pact (1916) to strengthen India's demand
for self-government. Muhammad Ali Jinnah emerged as the ambassador
of Hindu-Muslim unity. The key features were as follows:
• 1/3rd representation to be given to Muslims in the Central Government.
• Separate electorate for all communities
• Weightage for minority representation
• The Communal Award, announced by Ramsay MacDonald on 16 August
1932, ensured the retention of separate electorates for Muslims, Sikhs
and Europeans and extended the separate electorate to depressed
Classes (now known as the Scheduled Caste) and other minorities.
Communal Award
• The most striking feature of the Communal Award was its distribution
of Hindu and Muslim seats. Hindus, including the depressed classes
were given 80 seats, only 32 per cent of the total, although the 1931
census recorded them as numbering 22.2 million people, or 44 per
cent of Bengal's population.
Provincial autonomy
• The provision of provincial autonomy was introduced in the
Government of India Act of 1935
• Provincial Election of 1937
• The strong base of the Muslim League after the election of 1937
• AK Fazlul Hoque and Krishak Proja Party
• Lahore resolution of Jinnah , 1940
• WITH the passing of the Government of India Act of 1935, the history
of Indian nationalism underwent a subtle change. Though not notice-
able immediately after the introduction of the Act, the provincial
elections, held under its provisions in I937, and the results thereof,
made this change more apparent and clear. The Indian National Con-
gress secured a sweeping victory in five provinces and was in a position
to form coalition ministries in two other provinces-a victory which
revealed the efficiency and capability of the party so far as the election
machine was concerned. It proved its claim of being a 'National Party'.
The Muslim-League, on the other hand, did not fare well at all,
especially in the Muslim majority provinces of the Punjab and Bengal.