The Congress was established with the approval of the Viceroy Lord Dufferin and the objective of the government behind its establishment was to divert the violent path of the national movement to the constitutional path. The government was confident that the leadership of the Congress would be in the hands of affluent and comfortable-loving Indians who would neither take the violent route nor criticize the government harshly. Thus the Congress will continue to follow the path guided by the government. This is the reason that on the occasion of the first three sessions of the Congress, the Congress representatives were given tea parties by the government.
Even when the liberal leaders were using very polite language and were demanding self-government within the English state, the relationship between Hume and Dufferin deteriorated in 1988. This led to a change in government policy. The British rulers were not ready to accept the claim of equality of Indians. Lord Dufferin in his speech on 30 November 1888 ridiculed the demand for parliamentary government made by the Congress and called the Congress a limited class institution.
Dufferin said in strict words- "Some well educated and wise men of India want that the government should be democratic, the bureaucracy should be under it and they should get authority over the nation's treasury and gradually the British officials stood before them. be.'
After Dufferin expressed such views, the British rulers became hostile to the Congress and wished for its end. The government started creating obstacles in the path of the Congress. The fourth session was to be held at Allahabad in the last days of December in AD 1888. Auckland Colwin, the governor there, tried not to collect money for the convention in his province, that the Congress could not campaign for the convention and the Congress could not find any place in Allahabad for the convention. If Maharaja Darbhanga had not helped, the Congress would not have got any place.
The Maharaja bought a building called Lothar Castle and gave it to the Congress. Government officials began to pressurize the people not to attend the Congress session. Efforts were made to keep Muslims, native kings and zamindars away from the Congress. Government officials and employees were banned from attending Congressional sessions.
India Secretary Hamilton issued an order to keep a watch on those who gave money to Congress. The governors of some provinces even suggested that the annual conventions of the Congress should be banned, but this suggestion was not accepted. After AD 1895, the attitude of the government towards the Congress became harsh day by day.
Muslim leader Sir Syed Ahmed had opposed the Congress from the very beginning. When the government initially helped the Congress, they requested the government to- 'This aid should be stopped. The government should not lean towards Hindu Congress.' When the government started following the anti-Congress policy, Sir Syed Ahmed was very pleased and he started criticizing the Congress and praising the government.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad has written- 'The bureaucracy initially made fun of the Congress movement, then came down to abuse and finally adopted a policy of repression against it by becoming strong.' Ramsay Macdonald has written- 'The progress of the national movement depended to a large extent on the policy of the government, which was initially friendly but later turned into fierce opposition.'
Ayodhya Singh has written- 'British officers broke down on it with their loyal chakars and khairkhas to destroy the Congress. On the one hand the Viceroy Dufferin and the Governor of the North-Western Region Colwin, on the other the Raja of Benares and the Nawab of Hyderabad, on the third side Sir Syed Ahmed and Raja Shivprasad Sitare Hind, on the fourth side the British Indian Association and on the fifth side Sir Dinsha Mankji Petit and others. The rich Parsis attacked. The British bureaucracy tried to alienate Muslims and Parsis, a large section of Hindus, landlords and rich people from the Congress and make them enemies.'
The liberal leaders did not want to upset the government. That's why he silently tolerated the displeasure of the government and continued to work with impunity.
It can be said that the liberals, despite being solicited, put pressure on the government to give more representation to Indians in representative institutions, to give freedom of expression, freedom to the press and to give equal appointment to Indians in high administrative posts. Make.
Liberal leaders adopted a national approach to economic development. He advocated the adoption of an equitable system of taxation under which the public could be able to pay. He laid emphasis on industrialization, so that the sources of national income could be increased and the unemployed could get work. His successes were commendable and proved to be a milestone towards the country's independence.