Haripura Congress Session of 1938

The 51st annual session of the Indian National Congress met at Haripura, a small village in the Surat district of Gujarat, in February 1938. Presided over by Subhas Chandra Bose, this convention stands out for setting a comprehensive socio-economic roadmap for free India through state-led economic planning. Held in a rural setting, the session reinforced the party’s opposition to the federal scheme proposed under the Government of India Act 1935, defined the policy toward princely states, and established the historic National Planning Committee.

Historical Context and Political Background

By early 1938, Congress ministries were actively functioning in eight out of eleven provinces following their success in the 1937 provincial elections. The party faced complex challenges, including managing administrative power at the provincial level, addressing peasant and labor unrest, and determining its relationship with democratic movements rising in the princely states. Internationally, the rise of fascist powers in Europe and imperialist expansion in Asia created a tense global backdrop. Inside the Congress, radical and socialist groups—including the Congress Socialist Party (CSP)—gained influence. Subhas Chandra Bose was unanimously elected President for the session with the backing of both Mahatma Gandhi and the left-leaning factions.

Rural Architecture and Symbolic Setup

Following the precedent set at the 1936 Faizpur session, the Haripura convention took place in a rural area to deepen links with the agrarian population.

• Organizers: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel oversaw the overall arrangements, while Darbar Gopaldas Desai headed the Reception Committee.
• Artistic Design: Renowned artist Nandalal Bose was invited to design the venue, named Vithal Nagar in memory of Vithalbhai Patel. He created 83 iconic posters painted on handmade paper using natural earth colors, depicting Indian village life, artisans, musicians, and daily chores.
• Rath Yatra Reception: Subhas Chandra Bose was brought to the venue in a ceremonial procession featuring a chariot drawn by 51 pairs of bullocks, symbolizing the 51st session of the Congress.

Creation of the National Planning Committee

The most enduring contribution of the Haripura session was the decision to initiate organized economic planning for India’s industrial transformation.

• Subhas Chandra Bose’s Vision: In his presidential address, Bose argued that political independence was merely the first step and that post-independence reconstruction required a socialist model based on large-scale industrialization and scientific state planning.
• Formation of the Committee: Late in 1938, Bose set up the National Planning Committee (NPC).
• Leadership: Jawaharlal Nehru was appointed Chairman of the NPC, with economist K.T. Shah serving as its General Secretary.
• Scope: The NPC constituted 29 sub-committees to examine diverse sectors, including heavy industries, agriculture, labor welfare, power, and transport, laying the groundwork for post-1947 economic planning.

Major Resolutions and Policy Framework

The Haripura session adopted several resolutions defining the party’s internal and external policies.

Rejection of the Federal Scheme

The session reiterated total opposition to the Federal Scheme proposed in the Government of India Act 1935, which aimed to tie British Indian provinces with princely states under an autocratic central structure. The Congress declared it would resist any attempt to impose this scheme.

Policy Toward Princely States (Praja Mandals)

The Congress clarified its stance regarding the struggle for democratic rights in the princely states:

• Moral Support: The party expressed solidarity with the popular movements (Praja Mandals) fighting against autocratic rulers for civil liberties and responsible government.
• Organizational Distance: The session resolved that the Congress as an organization would not launch direct political struggles or Satyagraha campaigns inside the princely states in its own name. The local residents were encouraged to organize independent struggles through their respective Praja Mandals.

Foreign Policy and Opposition to Imperialist Wars

Reflecting an expanding global outlook, the Congress passed resolutions against global fascism and British imperialist policy:

• Anti-War Policy: The session declared that India would not permit its manpower or resources to be used in any war waged by the British Empire.
• Solidarity with China: The Congress condemned Japanese aggression in China and decided to send a medical mission to China as a gesture of goodwill, leading to the deployment of the Indian Medical Mission led by Dr. M. Atal and Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis in 1938.

Key Perspectives on the Haripura Session

Historical Impact

The Haripura Session broadened the scope of the freedom struggle by connecting national liberation with scientific economic planning and anti-imperialist foreign policy. The vision formulated under Bose and Nehru at Haripura provided the structural template for the Planning Commission established in independent India in 1950.

Facts for Revision

• Session and Year: 51st Annual Session of the Indian National Congress, February 1938.
• Location: Haripura, Surat District, Gujarat.
• President: Subhas Chandra Bose.
• Reception Committee Head: Darbar Gopaldas Desai (overall arrangements managed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel).
• Venue Name: Vithal Nagar, named in honor of Vithalbhai Patel.
• Visual Art: Nandalal Bose created 83 historic ‘Haripura Posters’ depicting rural Indian life using local materials.
• Economic Milestone: Resolution leading to the establishment of the National Planning Committee (NPC) under Jawaharlal Nehru in late 1938.
• Policy on Princely States: Decided that the Congress would offer moral support to Praja Mandals but would not directly launch struggles within princely states under the Congress banner.
• International Action: Decided to send an Indian Medical Mission to China to assist against Japanese aggression; Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis was part of this mission.
• Procession Fact: Subhas Chandra Bose was welcomed at the session in a procession pulled by 51 pairs of bullocks.