Lahore Congress and Purna Swaraj

At a Glance

• Session Lahore, December 1929; president Jawaharlal Nehru
• Key decision Complete independence as the aim of the Congress
• 31 December 1929 Tricolour hoisted on the Ravi at midnight
• 26 January 1930 First Independence Day; Independence Pledge
• Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences

Where Does It Fit?

This is the second topic of the category on the Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences. The previous topic covered the run-up, including Irwin’s Declaration and the Delhi Manifesto. This topic covers the Lahore session. The next topic covers Gandhi’s eleven demands and the choice of salt. Previous topic: Run-up to Civil Disobedience: Irwin’s Declaration and the Delhi Manifesto.

Why Was Nehru Chosen President?

Jawaharlal Nehru, who had done more than anyone else to popularise the idea of purna swaraj, was nominated president for the Lahore session in December 1929 mainly because of Gandhi’s backing; 15 of 18 Provincial Congress Committees had opposed Nehru. He was chosen because of the appropriateness of the occasion, the Congress’s acceptance of complete independence as its goal, and to acknowledge the upsurge of youth that had made the anti-Simon campaign a success. That campaign is in Appointment of the Simon Commission and the Indian Response.

In his presidential address Nehru said the country now had an open conspiracy to free it from foreign rule, and invited all to join. He said he was a socialist and a republican and no believer in kings and princes or in the order which produced the modern kings of industry, and that any great movement for liberation today must be a mass movement, which must essentially be peaceful except in times of organised revolt.

What Were the Decisions at Lahore?

The following major decisions were taken.

What Happened on 31 December 1929 and 26 January 1930?

At midnight on 31 December 1929, on the banks of the River Ravi, the newly adopted tricolour flag of freedom was hoisted by Jawaharlal Nehru amid slogans of Inquilab Zindabad.

On 26 January 1930, public meetings were held in villages and towns all over the country, the independence pledge was read out in local languages and the national flag was hoisted. The pledge is supposed to have been drafted by Gandhi.

What Did the Independence Pledge Say?

The pledge made these points.

• It is the inalienable right of Indians to have freedom.
• British rule had deprived Indians of freedom and exploited them, and ruined India economically, politically, culturally and spiritually, so India must sever the British connection and attain purna swaraj.
• Economically, India was being ruined by high revenue and the destruction of village industries, with customs, currency and exchange rates manipulated to its disadvantage.
• Politically, no real power was given, the right of free association was denied and administrative talent was killed.
• Culturally, the education system had torn Indians from their moorings; spiritually, compulsory disarmament had made them unmanly.
• It was held a crime against man and God to submit any longer to British rule; Indians would prepare for complete independence by withdrawing voluntary association from the government and for civil disobedience through non-payment of taxes.

As an analytical point, the pledge combined a political demand with an economic and cultural indictment of colonial rule, which linked the goal of independence to the daily grievances of the people and prepared the ground for the choice of salt as a theme. That choice is described in Gandhi’s Eleven Demands and the Choice of Salt.

Why Was Lahore Important?

The session changed the Congress’s stated goal from the dominion status of earlier years to complete independence, committed it to a civil disobedience programme, and gave 26 January a place in the national calendar that it holds in a different form today. It also marked the rise of Nehru and the youth. The earlier debate on the goal is in Run-up to Civil Disobedience: Irwin’s Declaration and the Delhi Manifesto, and the Swarajists’ exit from the legislatures after Lahore is in no-changers-constructive-work/" class="maargx-auto-link" data-preview="At a Glance Swarajist wins Outvoted the government; Vithalbhai Patel Speaker 1925; Public Safety Bill defeated 1928 Decline Communal riots, splits, Das…">Swarajist Activity in the Councils and the No-Changers’ Constructive Work.

Why Is This Topic Important?

• Goal of purna swaraj A stock Prelims fact with year and place
• Independence Day of 1930 Links to the later choice of 26 January for the Republic
• Nehru’s address Quotations on socialism and mass movement are Mains material

What Came Next?

The next topic describes Gandhi’s eleven demands and why he chose salt as the theme of the movement. Next topic: Gandhi’s Eleven Demands and the Choice of Salt.

Key People and Terms

• Purna swaraj Complete independence
• Independence Day 26 January 1930, the first observance
• Independence Pledge Read out on 26 January 1930
• Ravi River on whose banks the flag was hoisted
• Inquilab Zindabad Slogan raised when the flag was hoisted
• Open conspiracy Nehru’s phrase for the public movement against foreign rule

Exam Corner

Mains Angle

Questions ask about the importance of the Lahore session. These points add depth.

• Goal Complete independence
• Programme Civil disobedience authorised
• Symbols The flag and the pledge