Congress: Benaras, Calcutta, and Surat Session

1. Which one of the following statements is not correct about Dadabhai Naoroji? [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2008]

(a) He wrote a book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.'
(b) He worked as a Professor of Gujarati in the University College, London
(c) He laid the foundation of woman's education in Bombay
(d) He was elected as a member of British Parliament on the ticket of the Conservative Party

Correct Answer: (d) He was elected as a member of British Parliament on the ticket of the Conservative Party

Solution:Dadabhai Naoroji was elected as a member of British Parliament on the ticket of Liberal Party. Thus, statement (d) is not correct. Dadabhai Naoroji, the "Grand Old Man of India," was a trailblazing leader in the Indian independence struggle. He was a scholar, social reformer, and the first Indian elected to the British Parliament in 1892. Naoroji played a significant role in the formation of the Indian National Congress (INC) and served as its president three times, pushing for constitutional reforms and self-rule for India. Dadabhai Naoroji's most notable contribution was his "Drain Theory," which highlighted how British economic policies were draining India's wealth. Naoroji's ideas on economic exploitation laid the foundation for India's economic nationalism and inspired future leaders like Mahatma Gandhi to advocate for Indian self-governance and social reforms

2. Which one of the following statements is not correct about Dadabhai Naoroji? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2014]

(a) He was the first Indian to be appointed as Professor of Mathematics and Physics at Elphinstone College, Bombay.
(b) He was elected as the member of British Parliament in 1892.
(c) He started a Gujarati Journal, 'Rast Goftar.'
(d) For four times he had presided over the Indian National Congress.

Correct Answer: (d) For four times he had presided over the Indian National Congress.

Solution:Dadabhai Naoroji presided over INC session for three times in 1886 AD, 1893 AD and in 1906 AD. Dadabhai Naoroji, the "Grand Old Man of India," was a trailblazing leader in the Indian independence struggle. He was a scholar, social reformer, and the first Indian elected to the British Parliament in 1892. Naoroji played a significant role in the formation of the Indian National Congress (INC) and served as its president three times, pushing for constitutional reforms and self-rule for India. Dadabhai Naoroji's most notable contribution was his "Drain Theory," which highlighted how British economic policies were draining India's wealth. Naoroji's ideas on economic exploitation laid the foundation for India's economic nationalism and inspired future leaders like Mahatma Gandhi to advocate for Indian self-governance and social reforms

3. Who was first Indian to be elected to the British Parliament? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1992]

(a) Ras Bihari Bose
(b) Surendranath Banerjee
(c) Dadabhai Naoroji
(d) Vithalbhai Patel

Correct Answer: (c) Dadabhai Naoroji

Solution:Dadabhai Naoroji, the grand old man of India, was the first Indian to become a Member of British Parliament in United Kingdom’s House of Commons. Dadabhai Naoroji, the "Grand Old Man of India," was a trailblazing leader in the Indian independence struggle. He was a scholar, social reformer, and the first Indian elected to the British Parliament in 1892. Naoroji played a significant role in the formation of the Indian National Congress (INC) and served as its president three times, pushing for constitutional reforms and self-rule for India. Dadabhai Naoroji's most notable contribution was his "Drain Theory," which highlighted how British economic policies were draining India's wealth. Naoroji's ideas on economic exploitation laid the foundation for India's economic nationalism and inspired future leaders like Mahatma Gandhi to advocate for Indian self-governance and social reforms

4. At which session was the Indian National Congress (INC) divided into two groups ~ 'Naram Dal' and 'Garam Dal'? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1990]

(a) Bombay
(b) Surat
(c) Allahabad
(d) Lahore

Correct Answer: (b) Surat

Solution:The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 and was divided into two factions in 1907, namely extremists—Garam Dal led by Lala Lajpat Rai and moderates 'Naram Dal' led by Ras Bihari Ghosh. Ras Bihari Ghosh succeeded to become its President. The reason for this division was the four resolutions: Swadeshi, Boycott, National Education, and self-Rule, which were passed in 1906 in the Calcutta session. Extremists wanted to continue this resolution while the liberals were not in favour.

5. In which session was the Congress divided into Moderates and Extremists? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2023]

(a) Bombay
(b) Surat
(c) Calcutta
(d) Nagpur

Correct Answer: (b) Surat

Solution:The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 and was divided into two factions in 1907, namely extremists—Garam Dal led by Lala Lajpat Rai and moderates 'Naram Dal' led by Ras Bihari Ghosh. Ras Bihari Ghosh succeeded to become its President. The reason for this division was the four resolutions: Swadeshi, Boycott, National Education, and self-Rule, which were passed in 1906 in the Calcutta session. Extremists wanted to continue this resolution while the liberals were not in favour.

6. Where did the Indian Congress get divided into two wings moderates and extremists? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]

(a) Surat Session, 1907
(b) Lahore Session, 1909
(c) Calcutta Session, 1911
(d) Karachi Session, 1913

Correct Answer: (a) Surat Session, 1907

Solution:The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 and was divided into two factions in 1907, namely extremists—Garam Dal led by Lala Lajpat Rai and moderates 'Naram Dal' led by Ras Bihari Ghosh. Ras Bihari Ghosh succeeded to become its President. The reason for this division was the four resolutions: Swadeshi, Boycott, National Education, and self-Rule, which were passed in 1906 in the Calcutta session. Extremists wanted to continue this resolution while the liberals were not in favour.

7. The President of the Surat Session of Indian National Congress (1907) was : [U.P. U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2010 U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2007]

(a) Dadabhai Naoroji
(b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
(d) Ras Bihari Ghosh

Correct Answer: (d) Ras Bihari Ghosh

Solution:The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 and was divided into two factions in 1907, namely extremists—Garam Dal led by Lala Lajpat Rai and moderates 'Naram Dal' led by Ras Bihari Ghosh. Ras Bihari Ghosh succeeded to become its President. The reason for this division was the four resolutions: Swadeshi, Boycott, National Education, and self-Rule, which were passed in 1906 in the Calcutta session. Extremists wanted to continue this resolution while the liberals were not in favour.

8. Four resolutions were passed at the famous Calcutta Session of Indian National Congress in 1906. The question of either retention or rejection of these four resolutions became the cause of a split in Congress at the next Congress Session held in Surat in 1907. Which one of the following was not one of those resolutions? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2010]

(a) Annulment of the partition of Bengal
(b) Boycott
(c) National education
(d) Swadeshi

Correct Answer: (a) Annulment of the partition of Bengal

Solution:The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 and was divided into two factions in 1907, namely extremists—Garam Dal led by Lala Lajpat Rai and moderates 'Naram Dal' led by Ras Bihari Ghosh. Ras Bihari Ghosh succeeded to become its President. The reason for this division was the four resolutions: Swadeshi, Boycott, National Education, and self-Rule, which were passed in 1906 in the Calcutta session. Extremists wanted to continue this resolution while the liberals were not in favour.

9. In which of the following sessions of Indian National Congress, the word 'Swaraj' was uttered for the first time? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2014]

(a) Benaras Session, 1905
(b) Calcutta Session, 1906
(c) Surat Session, 1907
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer: (b) Calcutta Session, 1906

Solution:At the Calcutta Congress session, 'Swaraj' was uttered as the goal of the Indian people in December, 1906. In his president address, Naoraji declared that the goal of the Indian National Congress 'Self-Government or Swaraj, was same as of United Kingdom.

10. The first leader to use the word 'Swaraj' was: [U.P.R.O./A.R.O. (Mains) 2013]

(a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(b) Lala Lajpat Rai
(c) S.C. Bose
(d) Mahatma Gandhi

Correct Answer: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Solution:Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s (1856-1920) popular statement was “Swaraj is my birthright, I shall have it”. Although the word ‘Swaraj’ was first used by ‘Dayanand Saraswati,’ option (a) might be the closest answer.