Context:
The centenary of the 1924 Belgaum Congress session is being celebrated in Belagavi, Karnataka, on 26-27th December 2024.
1924 Belgaum Session of Congress:
- Only Congress session presided over by Mahatma Gandhi as the party chief, from December 1924 to April 1925.
- Highlights –
- Emphasized fighting untouchability and promoting khadi.
- Supported village industries, transforming Congress into a movement for political independence and social reform.
- Made khadi spinning mandatory for Congress members, requiring the submission of 2,000 yards of khadi cloth monthly.
- Reduced Congress membership fees by 90%.
- Pampa Sarovara Well – The well dug for the session continues to supply water to parts of south Belagavi.
Key Sessions of the Indian National Congress:
- 1885: First Session in Bombay, presided by W.C. Banerjee – Formation of the Indian National Congress.
- 1886: Second Session in Calcutta, presided by Dadabhai Naoroji.
- 1887: Third Session in Madras, presided by Syed Badruddin Tyabji – First Muslim President.
- 1888: Fourth Session in Allahabad, presided by George Yule – First English President.
- 1896: Calcutta – National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ sung by Rabindranath Tagore.
- 1901: Calcutta – First appearance of Gandhiji on the Congress platform.
- 1905: Benaras – Formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement under Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
- 1906: Calcutta – President Dadabhai Naoroji – Resolutions on Swaraj, Boycott, Swadeshi & National Education.
- 1907: Surat – President Rash Bihari Ghosh – Split between Moderates and Extremists.
- 1916: Lucknow – President A.C. Majumdar – Unity between Moderates and Extremists; Lucknow Pact with Muslim League.
- 1917: Calcutta – President Annie Besant – First Woman President of Congress.
- 1919: Amritsar – President Motilal Nehru – Support for Khilafat Movement.
- 1920: Calcutta – President Lala Lajpat Rai – Gandhi moves Non-cooperation resolution.
- 1924: Belgaum – President Mahatma Gandhi – Only session presided over by Gandhi.
- 1927: Madras – President Dr. M.A. Ansari – Resolutions against Simon Commission and for Purna Swaraj.
- 1929: Lahore – President Jawaharlal Nehru – Resolution on Poorna Swaraj; Civil Disobedience movement launched.
- 1931: Karachi – President Vallabhbhai Patel – Resolutions on Fundamental Rights and National Economic Programme.
- 1936: Lucknow – President Jawaharlal Nehru – Shift towards socialist ideas.
- 1938: Haripura – President Subhas Chandra Bose – National Planning Committee formed.
- 1939: Tripuri – President Rajendra Prasad – Bose re-elected but resigns; Forward Bloc formed.
- 1940: Ramgarh – President Abul Kalam Azad – Civil Disobedience movement postponed.
- 1946: Meerut – President J.B. Kripalani – Last session before Independence.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in emergence of ‘moderates’ and ‘extremists’?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) Swadeshi Movement
(b) Quit India Movement
(c) Non-Cooperation Movement
(d) Civil Disobedience Movement
Answer: (a)