The Indian National Congress: A Historical Analysis
Foundation of the Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885, by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, along with other prominent leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji and Dinshaw Wacha. The main reason for its formation was to provide a platform for Indians to voice their concerns and grievances to the British rulers. Initially, the INC was meant to be a moderate organization that would work within the British colonial framework to seek reforms.
Early Phase of the Congress (1885–1919)
During its early years, the Congress primarily consisted of Western-educated elites who believed in dialogue and petitioning the British government for reforms. Leaders like Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Surendranath Banerjee, and Dadabhai Naoroji focused on constitutional methods and self-governance aspirations.
However, by the early 1900s, a more INDIAN faction emerged, led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai (the Lal-Bal-Pal trio). This faction advocated for Swaraj (self-rule) and mass movements against British policies.
The Partition of Bengal in 1905 and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 fueled anti-British sentiments, leading to the Non-Cooperation Movement initiated by M.K Gandhi in 1920.
Jinnah and the Congress: A Lost Opportunity
Mohammad Ali Jinnah joined the Congress in 1904. He was a young, ambitious lawyer from Bombay, trained in London, and initially a strong believer in Hindu-Muslim unity and Indian self-rule under British dominion status. Jinnah was a moderate, aligning with leaders like Gopal Krishna Gokhale (whom he admired) rather than the more radical “extremists” like Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
In 1916, as a Congress leader, Jinnah helped negotiate the Lucknow Pact, a high point of his Congress career, where the Congress and the Muslim League agreed to present a united front to the British for greater autonomy.
Rise of Gandhi and Jinnah’s Resignation
- M.K Gandhi’s entry into Congress in 1919 and his push for mass movements (like the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920) clashed with Jinnah’s preference for elite, legalistic politics.
- Jinnah opposed Gandhi’s tactics, calling them disruptive and impractical.
- Jinnah formally resigned from Congress in 1920 during the Nagpur session, rejecting the Non-Cooperation Movement.
- He felt sidelined by Gandhi’s dominance and the party’s shift toward mass mobilization.
Although Jinnah had joined the Muslim League in 1913, he initially balanced both memberships. After leaving Congress, he devoted himself to the League, especially after 1935, when he returned from a brief political hiatus in London. By the 1930s and 1940s, Jinnah was the League’s undisputed leader, advocating for Muslim rights and, eventually, a separate Pakistan.
Many believe that if Sardar Patel or Subhas Chandra Bose had been allowed to lead rather than Jawaharlal Nehru, the Partition of India might have been avoided. However, Gandhi’s favoritism towards Nehru led to Jinnah’s alienation, ultimately resulting in the division of India.
Medieval Phase of the Congress (1920–1947)
The period from 1920 onwards saw the Congress transform into a mass movement under Gandhi’s leadership. Key movements led by the Congress included:
- Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922)
- Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934)
- Quit India Movement (1942)
Leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad played a crucial role in shaping the party’s ideology and strategy.
The Congress was at the forefront of the Indian independence struggle, negotiating with the British through the Cripps Mission (1942) and Cabinet Mission (1946). Finally, India achieved independence on August 15, 1947, with the Congress forming the first government under Jawaharlal Nehru.
Breakups and Fragmentations of Congress
Post-independence, the Congress started facing internal conflicts, leading to several splits:
The 1969 Congress Split
- Date: The formal split crystallized in November 1969, though tensions had been building for months.
- Context: After the death of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966, Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister. Her leadership style and policies increasingly clashed with the old guard of the Congress, known as the “Syndicate”—a group of powerful regional leaders like Morarji Desai, K. Kamaraj, and S. Nijalingappa.
- Trigger: The tipping point came during the presidential election of 1969. The Syndicate backed Sanjiva Reddy as the official Congress candidate, but Indira Gandhi, pushing her progressive agenda, supported V.V. Giri instead. Giri won with her backing, defying the party line, which exposed the deep rift.
- Outcome:
- On 12 November 1969, the Congress Working Committee, controlled by the Syndicate, expelled Indira Gandhi from the party for “indiscipline.”
- Indira retaliated by forming her own faction, Congress (R) (R for Requisitionists), while the Syndicate-led group became Congress (O) (O for Organisation).
Right-Wing Breakaway: Congress (O) & Janata Party Formation
Among the right-wing factions that split from the Congress, the most significant was Congress (O), which later merged with Bharatiya Jana Sangh (the predecessor of BJP) and other parties to form the Janata Party in 1977.
- This merger ultimately gave rise to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980, marking the biggest ideological shift away from Congress and the foundation of India’s modern right-wing politics.
Modern-Day Congress: Decline and Mismanagement
In recent years, the Congress party has significantly weakened due to poor leadership, lack of grassroots connection, and electoral defeats. The party is currently led by Mallikarjun Kharge as the president, but Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi continue to wield significant influence. Kharge is widely regarded as a puppet of the Gandhi family, lacking independent decision-making power.
Congress in the Wrong Hands
Many political analysts believe that the modern-day Congress is in the wrong hands, primarily due to dynasty politics and ineffective leadership. The party, which once led India to independence, now struggles to stay relevant against a dominant BJP under Narendra Modi.
Despite having a historic legacy, the Congress needs a strong leadership overhaul, ideological clarity, and grassroots revival to regain its past stature in Indian politics. Furthermore, the modern-day Congress is not the same party that existed from 1900 to 1969. It has undergone significant ideological shifts, leadership changes, and internal conflicts, making it a different entity from its past version.
