Question

Which among the following facts about the political parties and their founders is/are correct?

1. The Indian National Congress was founded by A.O. Hume.

2. Shiv Sena was founded by Bal Thackeray.

3. The Bahujan Samaj Party was founded by Kanshi Ram.

4. Bharatiya Jana Sangh was founded by Syama Prasad Mukherjee.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1, 2 and 3 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

Answer:

D. All of the above

Political Parties and Their Founder

• All the statements regarding the founders of the political parties mentioned are historically correct. These parties have played significant roles in Indian politics since their inception.

1. Indian National Congress (INC)

• The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, on December 28, 1885.

• It was established at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay (now Mumbai).

• The primary aim was to create a platform for civic and political dialogue among educated Indians and to voice their grievances to the British administration.

• The first president of the INC was W.C. Bonnerjee.

• Initially, it was largely a moderate body, advocating for constitutional reforms. Over time, it became the leading force in the Indian independence movement.

2. Shiv Sena

• Shiv Sena was founded by Balasaheb Thackeray (Bal Thackeray) on June 19, 1966, in Maharashtra.

• The party's primary ideology revolved around Marathi nationalism, advocating for the rights and interests of Maharashtrians (Marathi Manoos) in Mumbai and Maharashtra.

• Later, it adopted a strong Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) stance, aligning with other right-wing organizations.

• The party's symbol is a 'tiger'.

3. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)

• The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was founded by Kanshi Ram on April 14, 1984, in Delhi.

• The party was established with the objective of representing the 'Bahujan' (literally 'majority people') community, which includes Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and religious minorities.

• Its core philosophy is based on the principles of social justice and equality, inspired by figures like B.R. Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule.

• The electoral symbol of the BSP is an 'elephant'.

4. Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS)

• The Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) was founded by Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee on October 21, 1951.

• It was established shortly after India's independence, with the aim of promoting a distinct Indian national identity rooted in traditional Indian culture (cultural nationalism).

• The BJS was a strong advocate of a unitary India and opposed special status for Jammu & Kashmir.

• It is considered the predecessor to the modern-day Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was formed in 1980 after the dissolution of the Janata Party (of which BJS was a constituent part).