Political & Socio-religious Organization before INC
Political & Socio-religious Organization before INC (Indian National Congress) is a very important topic in modern history. In every exam which contains general awareness section, there are 2-3 questions asked from this topic.
Political & Socio-religious Organization before INC
Political & Socio-religious Associations began to take shape in the first half of the nineteenth century. Initially, they were dominated by the rich and educated intelligentsia. They were not at the pan-India level but regional in their operations. They had general demands like increasing the representation of Indians in administration; to bring out educational and military reforms; to work for the development of modern industries in India; etc. They used to send long petitions to the government in this regard.
Pre-Congress Political organizations in Bengal
Name of Organization | Year of formation | Founder/associates | Objectives/ Remarks |
Bangabhasaha Prakasika Sabha | 1836 | Associates of Raja Ram Mohan Roy | · Promotion of Bengali education and build public opinion · Demanded for freedom of press; entry of Indians to higher offices; etc. |
Zamindari Association/ Landholders’ Society | 1838 | Dwarkanath Tagore | · To safeguard the interests of landlords. · Only legal machinery was used to raise their demands. |
British India Society* | 1839 (England) | William Adam, Friend of Raja Ram Mohan Roy | · To make general public of England familiar with the condition of Indians. · Also used legal machinery to raise their demands. |
The Bengal British India Society | 1843 | George Thomson. Members included ‘Young Bengal’ group | · to present the actual condition of people of British India. |
British Indian Association | 1851 |
| · It is the merger of Zamindari Association and the Bengal British India Society. · raised many demands like separate legislative council, abolition of stamp duties, etc. |
The East India Association* | 1866 (London) | Dada Bhai Naoroji | · Welfare of Indians. · To make general public of England familiar with the condition of Indians. · It had branches in Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. |
The Indian League | 1875 | Sisir Kumar Ghosh | Instigate the feelings of nationalism.
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The Indian Association of Calcutta (Indian National Association) | 1876 | Surrendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose | · To unify public opinion on key political issues. · Voice was raised for civil services reform · It was later merged with Indian National Congress. |
*It was established in England (not in Bengal).
Pre-Congress Political organizations in Bombay and Madras:
Organizations | Year of formation | Founder/Associates | Remarks |
Bombay Association (Bombay Native Association) | 1852 | Jagannath Shankersheth, Sir Jamshedji Bhai, Naoroji Fardonji, Dadabhai Naoroji | · They used to take up public grievances through constitutional means. |
The Poona Sarvajanik Sabha at Pune | 1867 | Mahadeva Govind Ranade | · They fought for legal rights of peasants and farmers. · Connected common people with the British Government. · B. G. Tilak was also a member of this Sabha. |
The Bombay Presidency Association | 1885 | Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozshah Mehta and K. T. Telang | · It was aimed at opposing Lord Lytton’s policies and the controversial Ilbert Bill. |
Madras Native Association | 1849 | Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty | · It was first of such type in Madras. |
The Madras Mahajan Sabha | 1884 | M. Viraraghavachari, B. Subramaniya Aiyer and P. Ananda Charlu | · It was formed to oppose government policies through peaceful ways. |
Pre-Congress Socio-Religious Organizations:
Organizations | Year of formation | Place of operation | Founder/Associates | Objectives/ Remarks |
Atmiya Sabha | 1814 | Bengal | Raja Ram Mohan Roy | It was formed to attack social evils of Hinduism and spread of monotheism. It campaigned against caste rigidities, idol worship, social evils like Sati, etc. |
Brahma Samaj | 1828 | Bengal | Raja Ram Mohan Roy | The long-term agenda of Brahma Samaj was to purify Hinduism from evils of idolatry, meaningless rituals and to preach monotheism. |
Dharma Sabha | 1830 | Bengal | Raja Radhakant Deb | To counter the propaganda of Brahma samaj. Even he was the supporter of ‘Sati System’. However, it was in favour of the promotion of western education (including women). |
Tattvabodhini Sabha | 1839 | Bengal | Maharishi Debendranath Tagore | The systematic study of India’s past with rational outlook and to propagate the ideas of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. |
Young Bengal movement/ Derozians | 1830s | Bengal | Henry Vivian Derozio | To foster the ideals of equality, fraternity, liberty and freedom; to question all authority; political and social reforms. |
Prathna Samaj | 1867 | Bombay | Founder: Atmaram Pandurang Associate: M. G. Ranade, R. G. Bhandarkar and N. G. Chandavarkar | Women education, widow remarriage, denounce caste system and raising the age of marriage for both boys and girls. |
Brahma Samaj of India | 1866 | Bengal | Keshav Chandra Sen | To promote inter-caste marriages; denounce caste system; assimilate ideas from all religions |
Arya Samaj | 1875 | Earlier Bombay; then shifted to Lahore | Dayanand Saraswati |
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Sadaran Brahma Samaj | 1878 | Bengal |
| After the split of 1878, the disgusted followers of Keshav Chandra Sen established this new organization. It was based on the original ideals of Brahma Samaj. |
Tayyuni | 1839 |
| Karmat Ali Jaunpuri | Based mainly on the teaching of Shah Walimullah movement. |
Indian Reform Association | 1870 | Bengal | Keshav Chandra Sen | To organize people against child marriage and improve women’s social condition |
Satya Sodhak Samaj (Truth seeker’s society) | 1873 | Bombay | Jyotibha Phule | Social service; upliftment of women and lower caste by providing them education |
Deccan Educational Society | 1884 | Bombay | M.G Ranade | Spread of education in Western India |
Theosophical Society | 1875 (In 1882, headquarters were shifted to Adiyar) | United States | Madame H. P. Blavatsky and M. S. Olcott. Annie Besant took charge after the death of Olcott. |
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Seva Sadan | 1885 |
| Behramji M. Malabari | This organization took care of exploited and discarded women of society. It was not caste or class specific and was open to all. |
Rehnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha (Religious reform Association) | 1851 | Bombay | Dada Bhai Naoroji, K. R. Cama, S. S. Bengalee | It was a socio-religious reform movement of Parsis. The main objective of this organization was- upliftment of women, removal of the purdah system, promote western education in the Persian community. It also aimed at restoration of the Zoroastrian religion. |
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