INC Split

 INC Split (INC చీలిక - cheelika)

Background:

• INC initially established and dominated by Moderates (మితవాదులు - Mitavaadulu).

• Moderates' Approach:

  • Method: "3 Ps" - Pray, Petition, Protest.

  • Focus: Peaceful methods, constitutional reforms within the British framework.

  • Goal: Increased Indian representation in legislative councils, administrative reforms (Not complete independence initially).

• Extremists' Approach (అతివాదులు - Ativaadulu):

  • Goal: Swarajya (స్వరాజ్యము - Swarajyamu) or Home Rule (Self-rule).

  • Methods: More assertive; Advocated for mass action, boycott of all British institutions (not just goods), promoting national education and self-reliance. Believed in Passive Resistance (నిష్క్రియాత్మక ప్రతిఘటన - Nishkriyatmaka Pratighatana) - associated with Aurobindo Ghosh.

Events Leading to the Split:

1. 1905 INC Session (Benaras):

   • President: Gopal Krishna Gokhale (గోపాలకృష్ణ గోఖలే).

   • Resolutions: Supported Swadeshi and Boycott movements.

   • First Signs of Conflict:

     • Scope of Boycott: Moderates wanted to boycott only foreign goods (Manchester cloth, Liverpool salt); Extremists wanted a wider boycott including government services, courts, schools.

     • Extent of Movement: Moderates wanted it confined to Bengal; Extremists wanted it spread across India (Lajpat Rai - Punjab, Tilak - Maharashtra, Bipin Chandra Pal - Bengal, Hyder Raza - Delhi).

   • Mnemonic: కృష్ణుడికి భువనంలో (బెనారస్) పంచామృతం (05) వండారు స్వదేశీ బెల్లంతో - Krishnudiki bhuvanamlo (Benaras) panchamrutam (05) vandaaru Swadeshi bellamtho [For Krishna (Gokhale) in Benaras, Panchamrutam (5 items - year 05) was cooked with Swadeshi jaggery].

2. 1906 INC Session (Calcutta):

   • President: Dadabhai Naoroji (దాదాబాయి నౌరోజీ) - brought in as a compromise candidate respected by both factions. Extremists had initially proposed Tilak or Lajpat Rai.

   • Major Resolutions (influenced by Extremists): Swadeshi, Boycott, National Education, and Swarajya (declared as the goal of INC for the first time from the presidential platform).

   • Mnemonic: కలకత్తాలో దాదా (గంగూలీ -> నౌరోజీ) సిక్స్ (06) కొట్టాడు తన స్వరాజ్యంలో - Kalkattalo Dada (Ganguly -> Naoroji) Six (06) kottadu tana Swarajyamlo [In Calcutta, Dada (Naoroji) hit a Six (06) in his own kingdom (Swarajya)].

3. 1907 INC Session (Surat): The Split

   • Venue: Shifted from Nagpur (Extremist stronghold) to Surat (Moderate stronghold).

   • Presidential Election: Extremists proposed Lajpat Rai; Moderates proposed Rash Behari Ghosh (Not Bose).

   • Rash Behari Ghosh elected (Moderates had the majority votes).

   • The Final Conflict: Moderates attempted to dilute or go back on the Swarajya resolution passed in 1906.

   • The Incident: Heated arguments escalated into chaos. Physical clashes occurred (chairs thrown - కుర్చీలతో కొట్టుకున్నారు). Tilak reportedly threw a shoe aimed at Pherozshah Mehta/Ghosh, which hit Surendranath Banerjee (SN బెనర్జీ).

   • Result: The session ended abruptly. Extremists were effectively expelled from the INC. The ideological conflict (భావ ఘర్షణ - bhaava gharshana) turned into a physical conflict (భౌతిక ఘర్షణ - bhoutika gharshana).

   • Mnemonic: సూరత్ సుర్రుమంది కాబట్టి ఏడుస్తూ (07) ఘోషిస్తూ (ఘోష్) విడిపోయారు - Surat surrumandi kabatti edusthu (07) ghoshisthu (Ghosh) vidipoyaru [Because Surat flared up (surrumandi), crying (07) and wailing (Ghosh), they split].

Aftermath:

• The split weakened the nationalist movement temporarily.

• British government suppressed the Extremist leaders using an "iron fist" (ఉక్కు పాదం - ukku paadam).

• The Swadeshi movement lost momentum and largely faded by 1908 (though officially ended later, around 1911 with the annulment of partition).

• British introduced Minto-Morley Reforms (1909), partly to appease the Moderates who now controlled the INC.