Indian National Congress

Complete Set of 4 nos of postage stamps on the Centenary of the Indian National Congress, an Indian political party :

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 28, 1985

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to bring out a set of commemorative postage stamps on the Centenary of the Indian National Congress.

Description of Designs : The se-tenant set prepared by India Security Press, Nashik Road, based on a design by C.R. Pakrashi, presents a composite picture, depicting the portraits of A.O. Hume & 60 Congress Presidents starting from W.C. Bonnerjee, to the present President, Shri Rajiv Gandhi. The First Day Cover has been designed by C.R. Pakrashi. The cancellation has been designed by Nenu Bagga.

Type : Se–tenant Block of 4 Stamps, Postal Used

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 100 Paise each

Overall size : 9.66 x 8.12 cms.

Printing size : 9.66 x 8.12 cms.

Perforation : 14 x 14

Paper : Unwatermarked adhesive stamp paper

Number printed : 15,00,000 each

Number per issue sheet : 12

Printing process : Photogravure

Printed at : India Security Press

About : 

• The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 and in the same year, the first session was held in Bombay under the Presidentship of Shri W.C. Bonnerjee. The illustrious sons of India like Dadabai Naoroji, Surendra Nath Bannerjee and Madan Mohan Malaviya laid the foundation of this organisation.
  
• From the very beginning, the aim of the Congress was to establish Parliamentary institutions in the country. Renowned Constitutional experts like Dadabai Naoroji, Surender Nath Bannerjee and Gopal Krishan Gokhale, worked untiringly for setting up Parliamentary system of Government and for the growth of a secular, multilingual and multi-religious nationalism. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Aurobindo Ghosh, Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Paul were the first to adopt the posture of radical nationalism and invoked their countrymen to adopt a more dynamic plan of action. Lok Manya Tilak was the first to declare “Swaraj is my birthright”. In 1929, Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the Lahore session of the Congress. In this Session, the Congress declared complete freedom as its ultimate goal. During the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930-31 and 1931-32, the Indians undertook agitations on the appeal from Congress and these movements shook the foundations of the foreign rule in India.
  
• The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi could feel the pulse of the nation. He asserted that to achieve freedom, it was essential to create political awakening among the masses and train them for a struggle through non–violence against the foreign domination. Thus, non-violence became the basic creed of the Congress. The historic Karachi Session of Congress in 1931 was held under the Chairmanship of Vallabh Bhai Patel in which the famous resolution of fundamental rights was adopted.
  
• In the Lucknow Session 1936, Nehru formulated the foreign policy for the country based on working for peace and freedom, support for freedom struggle elsewhere and raising our voice against colonialism.
  
• In the historic meeting of All India Congress Committee, held in Bombay in 1942, presided over by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Mahatma Gandhi gave the slogan ‘Do or Die’ and people of India stood as one force to fight the British Rule. Their struggle bore fruit in 1947 and India attained the long cherished independence.
  
• Smt. Indira Gandhi as Congress President in 1959 and from 1978 to 1984 worked for the cherished goal of a socialistic society. Decisions of her Government like Nationalisation of Banks and insurance companies, abolition of privy purses etc. were all aimed at removing economic disparity and increasing social control over the means of production and distribution. Great leaders have nourished and contributed to its growth and maturity.