During the First World War, Indian merchants and industrialists wanted protection against imports of foreign goods, and a rupee-sterling foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports. To organise business interests, they formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920 and the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) in 1927. The industrialists attacked colonial control over the Indian economy, and supported the Civil Disobedience Movement when it was first launched. They gave financial assistance and refused to buy or sell imported goods.
After the failure of the Round Table Conference, business groups were no longer uniformly enthusiastic. They were apprehensive of the spread of militant activities, and worried about prolonged disruption of business, as well as of the growing influence of socialism amongst the younger members of the Congress. The industrial working classes did not participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement in large numbers, except in the Nagpur region. As the industrialists came closer to the Congress, workers stayed aloof. But inspite of that, some workers did participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement, selectively adopting some of the ideas of the Gandhian programme, like boycott of foreign goods, as part of their own movements against low wages and poor working conditions. There were strikes by railway workers in 1930 and dockworkers in 1932. In 1930, thousands of workers in Chotanagpurkers in 1930o Gandhi caps and participated in protest rallies and boycott campaigns. But the Congress was reluctant to include workers’ demands as part of its programme of struggle. It felt that this would alienate industrialists and divide the anti-imperial forces.
Another important feature of the Civil Disobedience Movement was the large-scale participation of women. During Gandhiji’s salt march, thousands of women came out of their homes to listen to him. They participated in protest marches, manufactured salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops. Many went to jail.
Which of the following was the predicament for Congress?
Correct Answer :
Loss of faith by marginalized sections in Congress
Solution :
The correct answer is: Loss of faith by marginalized sections in Congress
Explanation:
Based on the provided passage, the Congress faced a major predicament in balancing the conflicting interests of different social classes within the Indian freedom struggle:
1. Industrialists vs. Working Class: As prominent industrialists and business groups grew closer to the Congress and provided financial support, the industrial working classes generally stayed aloof from the Civil Disobedience Movement (except in regions like Nagpur).
2. Reluctance of Congress: The Congress leadership was reluctant to incorporate the specific demands of workers—such as higher wages and better working conditions—into its official programme of struggle. The rationale was that championing workers' demands would alienate the wealthy industrialists and divide the unified anti-imperialist front.
3. The Predicament: By favoring the backing of powerful industrialists over the working-class demands, Congress risked causing a loss of faith among marginalized sections (such as workers) regarding whether the party truly represented their interests.
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