Birth of Indian National Congress (contd-2)

Pattabhi Sitaramayya

Born 1880. Studied in Madras and started Medical practice at Masulipatnam. Inspired by the Swadeshi upsurge he entered public life in 1906 and distinguished himself in politics in Andhra. Renounced his lucrative practice in 1916 and became a full-time worker of the Congress. In 1919 he started an English journal, Janmabhumi which served as the organ of the Congress. His fearless writings often led to the Government framing seditious charges against him. President of Andhra Provincial Congress Committee in 1938, the President of the: Indian National Congress in 1948. Governor of Madhya Pradesh in 1952. Pattabhi was imprisoned several times. Besides political activities, devoted his energies to the constructive programmes and founded several institutions. As the historian of the Congress, was a forceful proponent of Gandhism.
Pattabhi Sitaramayya in his "History of the Indian National Congress" published by the working committee of the Congress stated;
" Apart from the great Darbar of 1877 or the International exhibition in Calcutta (1866-Hindu Mela), are supposed to have furnished the model for the great national assemblage, It is also said that the idea was conceived in a private meeting of seventeen men after the theosophical convention held at Madras in Dec 1884....that the idea was there in the air which is felt by Mr. Allan Octavian Hume"  who took the initiative of assembling all the relevant resources in a conference convening all the leaders of the different parts of India."
This statement was contradicted by Dr. R.C Majumdar who opined that neither the Delhi Darbar of 1877 nor the International Exhibition of 1866, the idea of a National Conference was first suggested by Surendra Nath Banerjee who offered a suitable date for holding it. This view, however, was accepted by Mr. A.C.Majumdar, another president of the Congress, stated that the Calcutta National Conference held in 1883, convened by Indian Association, Calcutta prepared the ground for Indian National Conference which Mr.Allan Octavian Hume had given a concrete shape.
The evidence which convinced Hume of "the imminent danger of a terrible outbreak - was contained in seven large volumes shown to him These contained a vast number of communications from over thirty thousand different reporters from the different parts of India.These seemed to indicate that even men of the lowest classes all over the country were determined to do something, and that something meant violence.The possible nature of the violence was thus described in the memorandum;
"Innumerable entries referred to to the secretion of old swords, spears, and matchlocks that the immediate result in its stages would be a revolt against our Government.