UPSC Prelims 2006 Q135: Modern History – Gandhian Mass Movements (1915 - 1942)
Under whose presidency was the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress held in
the year 1929 wherein a resolution was adopted to gain complete independence from the British?
- (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- (b) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
- (c) Jawaharlal Nehru
- (d) Motilal Nehru
Answer: (c) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation
Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress, 1929
| Leader | Link with the Lahore Session |
|---|---|
| Bal Gangadhar Tilak | Died in 1920 |
| Gopal Krishna Gokhale | Died in 1915 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | Presided over the Lahore Session, which resolved on Purna Swaraj (complete independence) |
| Motilal Nehru | President in 1928 (Calcutta Session), not Lahore |
The Lahore Session of December 1929 was held under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, adopting the resolution for complete independence.
Answer: (c) Jawaharlal Nehru.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Tilak died in 1920, long before the Lahore Session.
- (b) Incorrect. Gokhale died in 1915.
- (c) CORRECT. Jawaharlal Nehru presided at Lahore in 1929, where Purna Swaraj was declared the goal.
- (d) Incorrect. Motilal Nehru presided at Calcutta in 1928, not at Lahore.
Key point
Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the Lahore Session of 1929, which adopted the Purna Swaraj resolution.
Remember
Lahore 1929: Nehru presided, Purna Swaraj adopted.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Motilal Nehru, the Nehru Report author and 1928 president.
- Confusing the Lahore resolution with the Karachi resolution of 1931.
- Forgetting the 26 January 1930 Independence Day pledge.
Exam tip
Lahore 1929: Jawaharlal Nehru, Purna Swaraj; Karachi 1931: Vallabhbhai Patel, Fundamental Rights.
Sources
- NCERT Class XII History — Themes in Indian History Part III — Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement
- Indian National Congress — Resolution on Purna Swaraj, Lahore session (31 December 1929)