British committee of the Indian National Congress

The British Committee of the Indian National Congress was established in Britain by the Indian National Congress in 1889. Its purpose was to raise awareness of Indian issues to the public in Britain, to whom the Government of India was responsible. It followed the work of W.C. Bonnerjee and Dadabhoi Naoroji, who raised India related issues in the British parliament through the support of radical MPs like Charles Bradlaugh.William Wedderburn served as the first chairman and William Digby as secretary.

The decades following the 1857 rebellion were a period of growing political awareness in India, moulding of Indian public opinion for self-governance, and emergence of Indian leadership at both national and provincial levels. Dadabhai Naoroji formed the East India Association in 1867 and Surendranath Banerjee founded the Indian National Association in 1876. The Congress was founded in 1885 by Indian and British members of the Theosophical Society movement, including Scotsman Allan Octavian Hume. Its objective was to obtain a greater share in government for educated Indians and to create a platform for civic and political dialogue between educated Indians and the British Raj. From its inception, the organisation met annually to express its loyalty to the British Raj and passed numerous resolutions on less controversial issues such as civil rights or opportunities in government (especially in the civil service). These resolutions were submitted to the Viceroy's government.

Alan Octavian Hume left India in 1894 to return to Britain. At the time of his departure, Hume held the opinion that to implement political change and self-governance in India, political work was required in Britain to raise awareness of Indian issues among the British public. William Wedderburn held the same train of thought, since the Government of India was constitutionally responsible to the British electorate. Congress leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji and W.C. Bonnerjee had been able to enlist the support of radical MP Charles Bradlaugh to take up Indian issues in the British Parliament.

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