Foundation of the Indian National Congress and the Safety-Valve Debate
Modern History › Beginning of Modern Nationalism and the Moderate Phase · Topic 13.3
The Indian National Congress was founded in December 1885 at Bombay, with its first session at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, attended by 72 delegates under W.C. Bonnerjee, through the efforts of the retired civil servant A.O. Hume. The safety-valve theory says Hume formed it to release discontent; modern historians see it as a national body the nationalists launched under Hume's cover.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Beginning of Modern Nationalism and the Moderate Phase
At a Glance
- Founding session December 1885, Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay; 72 delegates
- First president Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee
- Organiser A.O. Hume, a retired English civil servant
- Debate Safety valve, conspiracy and lightning-conductor views
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Beginning of Modern Nationalism and the Moderate Phase
Where Does It Fit?
This is the third topic of the category on the beginning of modern nationalism and the Moderate phase. The previous topic described the political associations before the Congress. This topic describes the Congress itself and the debate about its origins. The next topic covers its aims and objectives. Previous topic: Political Associations Before the Indian National Congress.
How Was the Congress Founded?
In the later 1870s and early 1880s a solid ground had been prepared for an all-India organisation. The final shape to this idea was given by a retired English civil servant, A.O. Hume, who mobilised leading intellectuals of the time and, with their cooperation, organised the first session of the Indian National Congress at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay in December 1885. As a prelude, two sessions of the Indian National Conference had been held in 1883 and 1885, with representatives from all major towns. Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose were the main architects of the Conference. The Conference followed from the Indian Association’s 1883 gathering, described in Political Associations Before the Indian National Congress.
The first session was attended by 72 delegates and presided over by Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee. Thereafter the Congress met every year in December, in a different part of the country each time.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Organiser | A.O. Hume, a retired English civil servant |
| First session | December 1885, Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay |
| Delegates | 72 |
| President | Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee |
| Preludes | Indian National Conference sessions of 1883 and 1885; architects Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose |
| Later practice | Met every December at a different place each year |
Who Led the Early Congress?
Some of the great presidents of the Congress in the early phase were Dadabhai Naoroji (three times president), Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozshah Mehta, P. Anandacharlu, Surendranath Banerjea, Romesh Chandra Dutt, Ananda Mohan Bose and Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Other prominent leaders included Mahadeo Govind Ranade, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sisir Kumar Ghosh, Motilal Ghosh, Madan Mohan Malaviya, G. Subramaniya Aiyar, C. Vijayaraghavachariar and Dinshaw E. Wacha.
In 1890 Kadambini Ganguly, the first woman graduate of Calcutta University, addressed the Congress session, which symbolised the commitment of the freedom struggle to give women their due status in national life. Apart from the Congress, nationalist activity was carried out through provincial conferences and associations, newspapers and literature.
What Is the Safety-Valve Theory?
There is a theory that Hume formed the Congress with the idea that it would be a safety valve for releasing the growing discontent of Indians. To this end he convinced Lord Dufferin not to obstruct the formation of the Congress. The extremist leaders such as Lala Lajpat Rai believed in the safety-valve theory. Even the Marxist historians’ conspiracy theory was an offspring of it. R.P. Dutt, for example, held that the Congress was born out of a conspiracy to abort a popular uprising in India and that the bourgeois leaders were party to it.
How Do Modern Historians See It?
Modern Indian historians dispute the safety-valve idea. In their opinion the Congress represented the urge of politically conscious Indians to set up a national body to express their political and economic demands. If Indians had convened such a body on their own, there would have been insurmountable opposition from officials, and it would not have been allowed to form. As Bipan Chandra observes, the early Congress leaders used Hume as a lightning conductor, a catalyst to bring together the nationalist forces, even under the guise of a safety valve. The chapter’s summary names Lajpat Rai for the safety-valve theory, R.P. Dutt for the conspiracy theory and Gokhale for the lightning-conductor idea.
| Theory | Holder (per the chapter) | Claim |
|---|---|---|
| Safety valve | Lala Lajpat Rai | Hume formed the Congress to release growing discontent |
| Conspiracy theory | R.P. Dutt | The Congress was born of a conspiracy to abort a popular uprising, with bourgeois leaders as party to it |
| Lightning conductor | Bipan Chandra (in the text); Gokhale (in the chapter summary) | Nationalists used Hume as a catalyst to unite nationalist forces under cover of a safety valve |
As an analytical point, the debate rests on a single question: who held the initiative? The safety-valve and conspiracy views give it to the British, while the lightning-conductor view gives it to Indian leaders who used a sympathetic Englishman to pass a legal obstacle. The wider evidence in the chapter supports the second view: the groundwork of associations, the 1883 conference and the Congress aims in Aims and Objectives of the Congress were all Indian initiatives, and the government turned hostile soon after, as seen in Evaluation of the Early Nationalists.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Prelims facts The year, place, president and delegates of the first session are asked
- Historiography The three theories are a standard Mains theme
- Link to the Moderates It leads to their aims, methods and evaluation
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the aims and objectives of the Congress. Next topic: Aims and Objectives of the Congress.
Key People and Terms
- A.O. Hume The retired English civil servant who organised the first session
- Indian National Conference The Banerjea-Bose body whose sessions of 1883 and 1885 preceded the Congress
- Safety valve The idea that the Congress would release Indian discontent safely
- Conspiracy theory R.P. Dutt’s view of the Congress origin
- Lightning conductor The view that Hume was used as a catalyst by Indians
- Kadambini Ganguly The first woman graduate of Calcutta University to address the Congress, in 1890
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- First session December 1885, Bombay; 72 delegates; W.C. Bonnerjee.
- Organiser: A.O. Hume; Indian National Conference 1883, 1885.
- Dadabhai Naoroji was president three times.
- Kadambini Ganguly addressed the 1890 session.
- Theories: safety valve (Lajpat Rai), conspiracy (R.P. Dutt), lightning conductor (Bipan Chandra).
Do Not Confuse With
- Indian National Conference and Congress The Conference of 1883 and 1885 preceded the Congress of 1885
- Safety valve and lightning conductor One gives the initiative to the British; the other to the Indians
- Bonnerjee and Banerjea W.C. Bonnerjee was the first president; S.N. Banerjea was a Conference architect
Memory Hook
Hume organised, Bonnerjee presided, and historians still argue who used whom.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the origin of the Congress and the safety-valve theory. These points add depth.
- Indian initiative Associations and the Conference prepared the ground
- Need for a cover An Indian-led body might not have been allowed
- Hostile government Official attitude stiffened soon after
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Examine the safety-valve theory of the origin of the Indian National Congress.”
How to Answer
- Foundation Hume, 1885, first session.
- Theory Safety valve and conspiracy views.
- Critique Lightning conductor and Indian initiative.
- Conclude State your own view with evidence.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was the first session of the Indian National Congress held?
The first session was held in December 1885 at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay. It was attended by 72 delegates and presided over by Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, after the efforts of A.O. Hume.
Who was A.O. Hume?
A.O. Hume was a retired English civil servant who mobilised leading Indian intellectuals and organised the first session of the Congress. Some theories say he formed it as a safety valve, but modern historians see him as a catalyst.
What is the safety-valve theory?
The safety-valve theory holds that Hume formed the Congress to release the growing discontent of Indians, and convinced Lord Dufferin not to block it. Lala Lajpat Rai and other extremist leaders believed it, and the Marxist conspiracy theory grew out of it.
What is the conspiracy theory of the Congress origin?
The Marxist historian R.P. Dutt argued that the Congress was born out of a conspiracy to abort a popular uprising in India and that the bourgeois leaders were party to it. It is an offshoot of the safety-valve idea.
What is the lightning-conductor theory?
As Bipan Chandra observes, early Congress leaders used Hume as a lightning conductor, a catalyst to unite nationalist forces under the guise of a safety valve. An Indian-led body might have faced insurmountable official opposition and not been allowed to form.
Who were the great early presidents of the Congress?
Dadabhai Naoroji, who was president three times, Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozshah Mehta, P. Anandacharlu, Surendranath Banerjea, Romesh Chandra Dutt, Ananda Mohan Bose and Gopal Krishna Gokhale were among the great early presidents of the Congress during its first twenty years.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay in December 1885.
It had 72 delegates.
2 W.C. Bonnerjee presided over the first session of the Congress.
Hume organised it.
3 Dadabhai Naoroji was president of the Congress three times in the early phase.
He was a leading Moderate.
4 The conspiracy theory of the Congress origin is associated with Lala Lajpat Rai.
It is associated with R.P. Dutt; Lajpat Rai believed in the safety-valve theory.
5 Kadambini Ganguly addressed the Congress in 1890.
She was the first woman graduate of Calcutta University.
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