In which year was the Indian National Congress divided for the first time?

→ The first major split in the Indian National Congress occurred during the Surat Session in 1907.
→ The division was between the Moderates (led by Gokhale and Pherozeshah Mehta) and the Extremists (led by Tilak, Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal).
→ The context was a disagreement over the methods of protest (Swaraj, Boycott, Swadeshi) and the choice of the Congress President.
→ This event, known as the 'Surat Split', significantly weakened the national movement for several years until their reunification in 1916.
Information Booster

→ The 1907 Surat Session was presided over by Rash Behari Ghosh.
→ The Extremists wanted Lala Lajpat Rai or Bal Gangadhar Tilak as the President.
→ The split occurred because Moderates wanted to restrict the Boycott movement to Bengal, while Extremists wanted it nationwide.
→ Following the split, the British government launched a heavy crackdown on the Extremists, arresting Tilak.
→ The two factions finally reunited at the Lucknow Session in 1916.
Additional Information

Option (A) 1905: This year is significant for the Partition of Bengal and the Banaras Session, but the formal split had not yet occurred; tensions were just beginning to peak.
Option (C) 1909: This year is famous for the Morley-Minto Reforms, which introduced separate electorates for Muslims, but it was not the year of the INC split.

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