Surat Split
- Reasons
- Disagreement on Swadeshi Movement: Moderates opposed extending it beyond Bengal, while extremists advocated for a broader reach.
- Ideological Divide: Extremists, led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, grew frustrated with the moderates’ slower approach and sought radical methods for independence.
- External Inspiration: Extremists were inspired by Japan’s defeat of Russia and Ethiopia’s defeat of Italy, which challenged European dominance.
- Leadership Conflict: Moderates feared Tilak’s influence and moved the Congress session from Nagpur to Surat, preferring Rash Behari Ghose over Tilak or Lala Lajpat Rai as president.
- After Effects of Split
- Congress Weakening: The divide diminished Congress’s unified strength against British rule.
- Divergent Goals: Extremists demanded full independence, while moderates favored self-government within the colonial framework.
- Rise of Revolutionary Activity: The split fueled revolutionary ideas among the youth.
- British Divide-and-Rule Strategy: The British exploited Congress’s divisions to suppress nationalist momentum.
Lucknow Session (1916)
- Leadership: Headed by Ambika Charan Mazumdar.
- Congress-Moderates Reunification: Annie Besant played a key role in reuniting moderates and extremists on a common platform.
- Congress-Muslim League Cooperation: The session saw Congress and the All India Muslim League sign the Lucknow Pact.
- Lucknow Pact Highlights:
- Demand for Self-Government: Both parties agreed to push for self-governance in India.
- Muslim Representation: Muslims were assured one-third representation in the central government, fostering a sense of Hindu-Muslim unity for collective demands.