Subhas Chandra Bose and the 1938 Haripura Congress Session

The Haripura Session of the Indian National Congress in 1938 marked a defining moment in the political career of Subhas Chandra Bose, one of India’s most dynamic and uncompromising leaders in the struggle for independence. Held at Haripura, a small village near Surat in Gujarat, this session symbolised both the peak of Bose’s influence within the Congress and the emergence of a more radical and socialist orientation in the national movement. It also exposed the ideological tensions between Bose’s revolutionary vision and Mahatma Gandhi’s gradualist and constitutional approach.

Background: Subhas Chandra Bose’s Rise in the Congress

Subhas Chandra Bose (1897–1945) was a brilliant nationalist leader known for his patriotism, discipline, and assertive style. Educated in Calcutta and at Cambridge, he qualified for the Indian Civil Service (ICS) but resigned in 1921 to join India’s freedom movement under Gandhi’s leadership.
Over the next decade, Bose became an influential organiser and political thinker:

• He served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Calcutta Corporation under Deshbandhu C.R. Das, promoting civic reforms and local self-governance.
• He was repeatedly imprisoned by the British for his nationalist activities.
• By the early 1930s, he emerged as one of the younger leaders of the Congress, admired for his energy and militancy.

Bose’s political ideology combined Indian nationalism with socialist principles. Influenced by European political thought, especially Marxism and the revolutionary movements of the 1930s, he believed that India’s freedom could only be achieved through strong centralised leadership, mass mobilisation, and modern industrial development.

Context Leading to the Haripura Session

By 1937, after the Government of India Act of 1935, elections were held for provincial legislatures. The Indian National Congress won majorities in several provinces, leading to the formation of Congress ministries. This partial political success generated debate within the party on the future strategy of the national movement.
Two broad ideological streams emerged:

• The Gandhian wing, advocating continued reliance on non-violence, constitutional reform, and village-based economic reconstruction.
• The progressive and socialist wing, led by younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, who emphasised rapid industrialisation, anti-imperialist internationalism, and preparation for direct action against British rule.

The growing influence of this radical faction culminated in Bose’s election as President of the Haripura Session in 1938. Gandhi and his followers, though cautious, did not initially oppose his candidacy, as Bose remained deeply respected for his patriotism and organisational abilities.

The Haripura Congress Session (February 1938)

The Fifty-first Session of the Indian National Congress was held at Haripura, near Surat, from 19–26 February 1938, with Subhas Chandra Bose as its President. The event was notable for its massive public participation and enthusiastic organisation, reflecting Bose’s leadership and vision for a modern, disciplined Congress.

• The venue itself was a model of indigenous planning and self-reliance, designed using local materials and traditional architecture.
• Thousands of delegates attended, making it one of the most memorable sessions in Congress history.

In his Presidential Address, Bose delivered one of the most comprehensive and visionary statements of Indian nationalism during the pre-independence period.

Key Themes of Bose’s Presidential Address

Bose’s Haripura address outlined a bold and forward-looking programme that went beyond the immediate goal of political independence. Its principal themes included:

1. Complete Independence (Purna Swaraj):
   • Bose reaffirmed that India’s goal must be complete independence, rejecting any form of dominion status or compromise.
   • He emphasised that political freedom must be accompanied by social and economic emancipation.
2. Economic Planning and Industrialisation:
   • Bose proposed the establishment of a National Planning Committee to draw up a blueprint for India’s economic reconstruction after independence.
   • He envisioned rapid industrial development, state ownership of key industries, and scientific modernisation to transform India into a self-reliant nation.
   • His ideas anticipated the future direction of India’s planned economy adopted after independence.
3. Socialism and Equality:
   • He advocated a socialist framework, arguing that political freedom without social and economic justice would be meaningless.
   • He called for the abolition of landlordism, reduction of inequalities, and state control over production and distribution to ensure equitable growth.
4. Foreign Policy and Anti-Imperialism:
   • Bose placed India’s struggle within the global context of anti-imperialist movements, expressing solidarity with nations fighting colonial oppression.
   • He admired the organisational models of Italy, Germany, and the Soviet Union, though his admiration was for their efficiency and nationalism rather than their authoritarianism.
5. Militant Nationalism:
   • He argued that India should be prepared for direct confrontation with British imperialism, if necessary, by force.
   • While not rejecting non-violence outright, he maintained that freedom could not be won through moral persuasion alone.
6. Youth and Discipline:
   • Bose urged Indian youth to adopt discipline, sacrifice, and unity, portraying the freedom struggle as a mission requiring both spiritual conviction and military preparedness.

His address at Haripura thus reflected a radical departure from the Gandhian paradigm, combining nationalism with socialism and envisioning an India rooted in strength, science, and equality.

The Formation of the National Planning Committee

Following the resolutions of the Haripura Congress, the National Planning Committee (NPC) was formally established in 1938, with Jawaharlal Nehru as its chairman. The NPC aimed to study India’s economic and industrial potential and propose measures for balanced development.
This initiative, inspired by Bose’s vision, laid the intellectual groundwork for independent India’s Five-Year Plans introduced after 1951. It also marked the Congress’s first formal recognition of the need for state-directed economic planning.

Strains within the Congress Leadership

Despite the success of the Haripura Session, ideological tensions deepened between Bose and the conservative leadership within the Congress.

• Gandhi, though appreciative of Bose’s energy, disagreed with his approach to both non-violence and centralised authority.
• The right-wing leaders, including Vallabhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, and J.B. Kripalani, viewed Bose’s socialist leanings and admiration for European models with suspicion.
• Bose’s insistence on immediate mobilisation for independence clashed with Gandhi’s gradualist strategy of moral and political persuasion.

The Tripuri Crisis and Bose’s Resignation

In 1939, Bose was re-elected Congress President at the Tripuri Session, defeating the Gandhian candidate Pattabhi Sitaramayya despite Gandhi’s open support for the latter. However, the victory proved short-lived.
The Gandhian faction refused to cooperate with him, and several members of the Working Committee resigned. Facing organisational paralysis and isolation, Bose resigned from the presidency in April 1939 and later formed the Forward Bloc, aiming to unite all radical and leftist forces within the Congress.

Significance of the Haripura Session

The 1938 Haripura Congress Session holds a crucial place in the history of India’s freedom struggle for several reasons:

1. Articulation of a Modern National Vision:
   • It was the first comprehensive attempt to outline a programme for India’s economic and industrial transformation.
   • Bose’s emphasis on science, planning, and social justice influenced the policies of post-independence India.
2. Emergence of Left-Wing Nationalism:
   • The session legitimised socialist and progressive ideas within the mainstream Congress movement.
3. Prelude to Political Division:
   • It exposed the growing ideological rift between the radical nationalists led by Bose and the moderate-Gandhian faction.
   • This division foreshadowed Bose’s eventual departure from the Congress and his later revolutionary efforts abroad.
4. Leadership and Organisational Legacy:
   • Bose’s efficient organisation of the session, his electrifying speech, and his forward-looking ideas left a lasting impression on India’s political consciousness.