What was the purpose with which Sir William Wedderburn and W. S. Caine had set up the Indian Parliamentary Committee in 1893?
A
To agitate for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons
B
To campaign for the entry of Indians into the Imperial Judiciary
C
To facilitate a discussion on India's Independence in the British Parliament
D
To agitate for the entry of eminent Indians into the British Parliament
Correct Answer: Option A
Explanation
1. Sir William Wedderburn (a retired ICS officer and later President of the Indian National Congress) and W. S. Caine (a British politician sympathetic to Indian causes) were key figures involved in advocating for Indian interests in Britain.
2. They, along with Dadabhai Naoroji and others, established the Indian Parliamentary Committee in 1893.
3. The primary purpose of this Committee was to act as a lobby group within the British Parliament, specifically to agitate for Indian political reforms and raise awareness about Indian grievances in the House of Commons.
4. It aimed to influence British public opinion and parliamentarians to bring about administrative and political changes in India, aligning with the moderate phase of the Indian National Congress.
5. Options (B), (C), and (D) represent different objectives; the Committee's focus was primarily on lobbying for political reforms within the existing framework, not campaigning specifically for judicial entry, outright Independence discussions at that early stage, or entry into the British Parliament itself.