Surendranath Banerjee is popularly known as the 'Father of the Indian Nationalism'. In this context, answer the following:

(a) Trace his contribution towards the formation of the Indian National Congress.

(b) What was India's political goal according to Surendranath Banerjee? What were the methods he advocated to attain it?

(c) What was his contribution to India's freedom struggle?

(a) Surendranath Banerjee advocated the use of constitutional methods to attain India's goals and his contribution towards the formation of the Indian National Congress is quite significant.

1. He established the Indian Association in 1876 to fight against the wrong policies of the British.
2. In order to create an all India-political organisation Surendranath convened the Indian National Conference in 1883 at Kolkata.
3. His Indian National Conference merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886 as both organisations had similar objectives. He presided over two sessions of the Congress in 1895 and 1902.

(b) India's political goal according to Surendranath Banerjee was self-government.

He advocated the use of constitutional methods for the attainment of India's goals. His famous saying was, "Opposition where necessary, co-operation when possible." He used the following methods to attain India's political goal-

1. To fight against the wrong policies of the British, he founded the Indian Association in 1876.
2. In order to create an all-India political organisation, Surendranath convened the Indian National Conference in 1883 at Kolkata. Surendranath Banerjee's Indian National Conference merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886 as both organisations had similar objectives.
3. Banerjee edited a newspaper, Bengalee, which served as a powerful medium for mobilising public opinion. His book, Nation in the Making, gives an account of his political concern and his views about self-government.

(c) Surendranath Banerjee's contribution to India's freedom struggle is quite significant. He contributed to the Indian National Movement in the following ways-

1. To fight against the wrong policies of the British, he founded the Indian Association in 1876.
2. In order to create an all-India political organisation, Surendranath convened the Indian National Conference in 1883 at Kolkata. Surendranath Banerjee's Indian National Conference merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886 as both organisations had similar objectives.
3. Banerjee edited a newspaper, Bengalee, which served as a powerful medium for mobilising public opinion. His book, Nation in the Making, gives an account of his political concern and his views about self-government.
4. Banerjee started agitation against the Licence Act, Arms Act, Vernacular Press Act and against lowering the age from 21 to 19 years to appear in the I.C.S. Examination.
5. He opposed the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909 which introduced separate electorates for the Hindus and the Muslims.
6. He also opposed the division of Bengal by Lord Curzon in 1905.