Travancore State Congress
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Travancore State Congress also known as the State Congress is a political party which was formed in 1938 to demand responsible governance in the princely state of Travancore.


Background

Following the formation of People's Ministries (responsible governments) at the provincial level in British India under the
Government of India Act of 1935 The Government of India Act 1935 ( 25 & 26 Geo. 5. c. 42) was an act passed by the British Parliament that originally received royal assent in August 1935. It was the longest act that the British Parliament ever enacted until the Greater L ...
, the demand for responsible governance on the basis of adult suffrage in the princely states was strengthened. In February 1938, the Haripura Conference of the AICC decided that the Indian National Congress Committees in the princely states should not be actively involved in the political movements in the princely states and that independent political organizations should be encouraged to carry on the political agitations. In the wake of the Haripura AICC decision, in February 1938, A. Narayana Pillai's lawyer's office in Thiruvananthapuram.The political leadership meeting chaired by
C. V. Kunhiraman C. V. Kunhiraman (6 February 1871 – 10 April 1949) was an Indian social reformer, journalist and the founder of '' Kerala Kaumudi'' daily. A follower of Sree Narayana Guru, Kunhiraman was the author of a number of books covering the gen ...
along with another prominent freedom fighter and journalist Balaramapuram G Raman Pillai decided to form an independent political party called the Travancore State Congress. Pattom A. Thanu Pillai has been appointed as its president. Kunhiraman was the General secretary and Raman Pillai was the treasurer An interim committee was formed with P. S. Nataraja Pillai as the secretary. The State Congress came into being with the decision to launch an agitation for responsible governance in Travancore.


Movement for responsible governance

The move to launch an agitation for responsible governance was countered by the Diwan Sir CP in a highly undemocratic manner. Ramaswamy Iyer outlawed the State Congress and the Youth League. But with this, the State Congress changed its way of working. As part of the strategy, the working committee was dissolved and they decided to give the president all the power and start an illegal strike. Congress President Pattom Thanu Pillai was arrested on 26 August 1938. Subsequent dictatorial 10 presidents (including Accamma Cherian) were subsequently arrested. Hundreds of activists were arrested for violating the law. Lathicharges and shootings took place in many places. Finally, on 4 September 1947, the king was compelled to issue an edict imposing a responsible rule on Sri Chithira Thirunal. The House of Representatives was formed in February 1948 on the basis of adult suffrage to form the State Constitution. The State Congress won a majority in the elections on 24 March 1948. Thanu Pillai is the Prime Minister and C. Kesavan, T. M. Varghese and others formed a cabinet with ministers and took charge. When Travancore and Kochi merged to form Travancore on 1 July 1949, the Travancore State Congress became the Thiru–Kochi State Congress. This party is divided and a faction is formed. The other faction in the
Praja Socialist Party The Praja Socialist Party, abbreviated as PSP, was an Indian political party. It was founded in 1952 when the Socialist Party, led by Jayaprakash Narayan, Rambriksh Benipuri, Acharya Narendra Deva and Basawon Singh (Sinha), merged with the ...
, led by Thanu Pillai. And A. J. John, C. Kesavan, T. M. Varghese their fraction joined the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
and disappeared.


References

{{Reflist Defunct political parties in India Indian National Congress Political parties established in 1938 1938 establishments in India