Demands of Moderates and Radicals in Congress
Moderates:
- The moderates had several demands for reform and criticized government policies.
- Some of their significant demands were the expansion and reform of legislative councils, greater opportunities for Indians in higher posts by holding the ICS (Indian Civil Services) examination simultaneously in England and India, separation of the judiciary from the executive, more powers for local bodies.
- They also demanded a reduction of land revenue and protection of peasants from unjust landlords, abolition of salt tax and sugar duty, freedom of speech and expression, freedom to form associations, repeal of the Arms Act, reduction of spending on the army, and introduction of Permanent Settlement to other parts of India.
Radicals:
- The radicals within Congress were more aggressive in their demands.
- They believed in self-reliance as a weapon against domination and drew inspiration from Indian history, cultural heritage, national education, and Hindu traditional symbols.
- They wanted to inculcate pride in India’s glorious culture to generate the spirit of nationalism. They invoked goddesses Kali or Durga for strength to fight for the motherland.
- They were guided by four principles: Swarajya (self-rule), Swadeshi (boycott of foreign goods), Boycott of foreign goods, and National education to make Indians self-aware of their national identity.
How was the Politics of the Radicals within the Congress different from that of the Moderates?
The Indian National Congress, founded in 1885, played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence from British rule. The Congress had members with different ideologies and strategies to achieve their goals. Among them, the radicals and moderates had distinct approaches towards achieving self-government or Swaraj. In this article, we will explore how the politics of radicals differed from that of moderates within the Indian National Congress.