Question 40 from UPSC CSE 2016 - Modern
History

Question

What was the main reason for the split in the Indian National Congress at Surat in 1907?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Extremists' lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government

Strategy: Identify the core ideological conflict between the Moderates and Extremists of the Indian National Congress that caused the 1907 Surat Split, distinguishing it from secondary triggers or unrelated events.

Key Info: The Surat Split of 1907 divided the Indian National Congress into the Moderates and the Extremists.

## Primary Reason

The fundamental cause was the ideological divide between the two factions.

*   **Extremists:** Led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh, they rejected the Moderates' petition-and-prayer methods. They advocated for assertive actions like Swadeshi, Boycott, and National Education to achieve Swaraj.
*   **Moderates:** Led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta, and Surendranath Banerjee, they believed in constitutional agitation, gradual reforms, and cooperation with the British.

## Contextual Factors

*   **Swadeshi Movement (1905-1908):** Following the Partition of Bengal, this movement intensified the rift. Extremists sought to expand it nationwide with a political boycott, which the Moderates opposed.
*   **Immediate Trigger:** Disputes over the 1907 session venue and the Congress president's election. The Moderates ensured Rash Behari Ghosh was elected instead of the Extremists' preferred candidate.

## Other Options

*   **Introduction of communalism by Lord Minto:** The Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909, which introduced separate electorates, were not the primary cause of the 1907 split.
*   **Foundation of Muslim League:** Established in 1906, the Muslim League was a separate political development and not the main reason for the division within the Congress.
*   **Aurobindo Ghosh's presidency:** The presidency dispute was a significant trigger but a symptom of the deeper ideological conflict, not the root cause itself.

Answer

Option A: Introduction of communalism into Indian politics by Lord Minto

Answer

Option C: Foundation of Muslim League

Answer

Option D: Aurobindo Ghosh's inability to be elected as the President of the Indian National Congress