Bombay Congress Session of 1885

The Bombay Congress Session of 1885 was the inaugural session of the Indian National Congress, marking the formal beginning of the organized national movement in modern India. Held from December 28 to December 31, 1885, at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay, the meeting brought together 72 political delegates from across British Indian provinces. Presided over by Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee and facilitated by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, the gathering established an all-India political platform to articulate national grievances, demand constitutional reforms, and promote political cohesion among educated Indians.

Background and Genesis

The formation of the Indian National Congress in Bombay resulted from years of growing political consciousness and regional organization.

Precursor Organizations

• Regional Political Bodies: Organizations such as the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha (1870), the Indian Association of Calcutta (1876), the Madras Mahajana Sabha (1884), and the Bombay Presidency Association (1885) created regional networks of educated elites.
• Indian National Conference (1883): Surendranath Banerjea and Anandamohan Bose convened the first Indian National Conference in Calcutta in December 1883, serving as a direct conference prototype for an all-India assembly.

Role of Allan Octavian Hume

• Open Letter of 1883: Hume addressed an open letter to the graduates of Calcutta University in March 1883, appealing for fifty volunteers to form an association for national political regeneration.
• Indian National Union: Hume formed the Indian National Union in 1884, which acted as the immediate organizational body responsible for convening the first session.
• Safety Valve Theory: Later political commentators, including Lala Lajpat Rai, popularized the theory that Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy of India, encouraged Hume to establish the Congress as a “safety valve” to absorb rising anti-colonial discontent.

Change of Venue

• Original Location: The session was scheduled to take place in Poona (Pune).
• Cholera Outbreak: A sudden outbreak of cholera in Poona forced the organizers to shift the venue to Bombay just days before the event.
• Host Institution: The Bombay Presidency Association hosted the delegates at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College near Gowalia Tank.

Key Figures and Delegate Composition

The session gathered 72 delegates representing various professions, primarily law, journalism, academics, and commerce.

Prominent Attendees

• Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee: Senior barrister from Calcutta who served as the first President of the session.
• Bombay Delegates: Pherozeshah Mehta, Dadabhai Naoroji, Dinshaw Wacha, Kashinath Trimbak Telang, and Badruddin Tyabji.
• Madras Delegates: G. Subramania Iyer, S. Subramania Iyer, and P. Ananda Charlu.
• Bengal Delegates: W.C. Bonnerjee, Narendranath Sen, and Manomohan Ghose.
• Absence of Key Leaders: Surendranath Banerjea and Anandamohan Bose missed the Bombay session because they were presiding over the second session of the Indian National Conference in Calcutta at the exact same time.

Regional Breakdown of Delegates

Major Resolutions and Demands

The inaugural session passed nine comprehensive resolutions outlining political, economic, and administrative demands.

Nine Core Resolutions

• Royal Commission on Indian Administration: Demanded the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the working of the Indian administration.
• Abolition of the Council of India: Requested the abolition of the Council of the Secretary of State for India in London, arguing it hampered administrative reforms.
• Expansion of Legislative Councils: Called for expanding the Imperial and provincial legislative councils, introducing elected members, and granting members the right to discuss the budget and ask questions.
• Simultaneous Civil Service Examinations: Urged the government to conduct simultaneous competitive examinations for the Indian Civil Service (ICS) in Britain and India, alongside raising the maximum age limit for candidates.
• Reduction of Military Expenditure: Protested against rising military expenses and demanded a reduction in defense spending.
• Annexation of Upper Burma: Opposed the annexation of Upper Burma and the military costs imposed on Indian revenues.
• Financial Reforms: Demanded a re-examination of financial allocations and trade tariffs affecting Indian industries.
• Standing Committee: Proposed setting up standing committees in major cities to organize political activities and support council resolutions.
• Next Session Plan: Resolved that the next annual session of the Congress would take place in Calcutta in December 1886.

Objectives Declared by the President

In his presidential address, W.C. Bonnerjee outlined four main objectives for the Indian National Congress:

• National Unity: Promoting personal intimacy and friendship among workers in the cause of the country across different regions.
• Consolidation of Feeling: Eradicating race, creed, and provincial prejudices to consolidate feelings of national unity.
• Documentation of Demands: Documenting the matured opinions of educated classes on important public matters.
• Future Work Program: Determining the lines and methods by which native politicians should work for public interest over the next twelve months.

Key Exam Facts

• The first session of the Indian National Congress took place from December 28 to December 31, 1885.
• The session met at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay.
• Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee (W.C. Bonnerjee) served as the first President of the Indian National Congress.
• Allan Octavian Hume acted as the General Secretary during the formation of the organization.
• Lord Dufferin was the Viceroy of India when the Indian National Congress was founded.
• Lord Reay was the Governor of Bombay during the 1885 session.
• Exactly 72 delegates attended the inaugural session.
• Poona was the original venue, but a cholera outbreak shifted the location to Bombay.
• The Indian National Union, founded by A.O. Hume in 1884, was renamed the Indian National Congress during this meeting upon Dadabhai Naoroji’s proposal.
• Bombay Presidency sent the highest number of delegates (38) to the first session.
• Surendranath Banerjea could not attend because he was attending the Indian National Conference in Calcutta.
• G. Subramania Iyer moved the very first resolution passed by the Indian National Congress.
• The session passed nine resolutions covering administrative, legislative, and military reforms.