Question

Which of the following statements is/are true?

• A. The British encouraged Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Raja Shiv Prasad to oppose the Congress.
• B. Lord Dufferin called the Congress "a body of microscopic minority".
• C. The British had never supported the Indian National Congress, and had labelled it a seditious body from the moment of its inception.
• D. The colonial government played a big role in the developments that led to Congress splitting into two factions.

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (D)

The correct options are
A The British encouraged Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Raja Shiv Prasad to oppose the Congress.
B Lord Dufferin called the Congress "a body of microscopic minority".
D The colonial government played a big role in the developments that led to Congress splitting into two factions.

The British initially supported the Indian National Congress. Later, as the Indian national movement started taking shape, the British declared the Congress a disloyal body. Lord Dufferin dismissed the Congress by calling it "a body of microscopic minority". Many historians believe that the British employed the 'Divide and Rule' method to fracture the organisation by encouraging people like Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan and Raja Shiv Prasad to oppose Congress policies. In 1907, the INC split into two groups - the Extremists and the Moderates.