Indian National Congress in 1885

Question 1

When was the first meeting of the Indian National Congress?

Answer 1

1885 and they met in Bombay.

Question 2

Who founded it?

Answer 2

A former Secretary for Agriculture in the Calcutta government - a white British man.

Question 3

Who attended the first meeting?

Answer 3

73 representatives from each province of British India, most were high-caste Hindus, all of whom spoke English and most were lawyers. The delegates weren’t exclusively Indian, Allan Hume - a founder - attended and played a key advisory role.

Question 4

What was Congress in its early days?

Answer 4

A discussion forum, not a political party. But it did become the organisation leading the Indian’s first great nationalist movement.

Question 5

What did the first meeting of the Congress want?

Answer 5

Delegates wanted:
Indian government to be widened so that the ‘people should have their proper and legitimate share in it.
opening Civil Service to Indians
opportunities for Indians to serve on various government councils
more of India’s wealth to be spent on internal improvements and less on the military
the abolition of the Secretary of State’s council in Whitehall, viewing it as a waste of India’s resources and a block to radical progress within India

Question 6

What did each member of Congress have to do?

Answer 6

Proclaim their loyalty to the British Crown and by extension the Raj.