Question

The process of split in the Congress in the early years of the twentieth century began over ________.
1. strategies of the Congress Movement
2. objectives of the Congress Movement
3. participation of the people in the Congress Movement 
4. All of the above

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 1 : strategies of the Congress Movement

The correct answer is option 1, i.e. strategies of the Congress Movement.

• The 1907 Surat session was held at the bank of the Tapti river in Surat.
• The Extremist camp was led by Lal Bal and Pal and the moderate camp was led by Gopal Krishna Gokhle.
• The Surat session was presided by Dr. Rash Behari Ghosh.
• The congress met in an atmosphere of anger and resentment in this session. Dr. Rash Behari Ghosh was elected but the extremists had an objection to this election. 
• Congress leaders split in to two groups i.e. moderates and extremists at the Surat in 1907.
• The Rift between these two sections became clearly visible at the Banaras Session of Congress (1905) when some nationalist-led by Tilak denounced the method of the moderates and suggested passive resistance.
• Initially the extremists dominated the session but soon they accepted Dr. Rash Behari Ghosh as president and offered to cooperate.
• By the time, the next session of Congress was held in Madras in 1908 under Dr. Rash Behari Ghosh, it was the extremist camp that was facing the Lathis and arrest by the British Government who was now in its comfortable position as Congress was divided.
• Hence the congress split began over the strategies of the congress movement.