Indian History & Polity - MCQ Practice Questions
Indian History rewards a sense of sequence far more than a stock of dates, because most questions test how one period led into the next. Practice runs from the Indus Valley Civilisation and Vedic age through the Mauryan and Gupta empires, the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal era, and on to the freedom struggle and post independence years. Explanations place each event next to what came before it, so the timeline builds instead of staying a list.
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Which Indian leader is known as the 'Iron Man of India' and played a pivotal role in the integration of princely states after independence?
Understanding:
We need to identify the leader known as the 'Iron Man of India' who integrated the princely states.
Step 1: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's title
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel earned the title 'Iron Man of India' (and 'Bismarck of India') for his firm and decisive handling of the integration of over 560 princely states into the Indian Union after independence in 1947.
Step 2: His role as Home Minister
As the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of independent India, Patel — assisted by V.P. Menon — used a combination of persuasion, diplomacy, and firm pressure to secure the accession of princely states, including the challenging cases of Hyderabad (Operation Polo, 1948) and Junagadh.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
Jawaharlal Nehru served as the first Prime Minister and focused primarily on foreign policy and economic planning. C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) was the last Governor-General of India. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India.
Answer:
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is known as the 'Iron Man of India' for his instrumental role in integrating princely states.
Quick Tip:
Patel's birthday, 31 October, is celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) in India — a frequently asked current affairs connection.
Who among the following founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828, laying the foundation for the Bengal Renaissance?
Understanding:
We need to identify the founder of the Brahmo Samaj, a landmark socio-religious reform organisation.
Step 1: Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Brahmo Samaj
Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, which later became known as the Brahmo Samaj. It was a monotheistic reformist movement that rejected polytheism, idol worship, and caste distinctions, drawing inspiration from the Upanishads and advocating rational religion.
Step 2: His broader contributions
Raja Ram Mohan Roy also campaigned vigorously against Sati (the practice of widow immolation), leading to the Bengal Sati Regulation Act of 1829 under Governor-General Lord William Bentinck. He is often called the 'Father of Modern India.'
Step 3: Eliminating other options
Keshab Chandra Sen later led a breakaway faction called the Brahmo Samaj of India. Debendranath Tagore (Maharshi) reorganised and strengthened the Brahmo Samaj after Roy's death. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a reformer who championed widow remarriage, not the Brahmo Samaj founder.
Answer:
Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828, which was central to the Bengal Renaissance.
Quick Tip:
Remember the succession: Ram Mohan Roy (founder, 1828) → Debendranath Tagore (consolidator) → Keshab Chandra Sen (splinter group). Exam questions often target this sequence.
The concept of 'Panchsheel' (Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence) was jointly enunciated by India and which other country in 1954?
Understanding:
We need to identify the country with which India jointly enunciated the Panchsheel principles in 1954.
Step 1: Panchsheel Agreement, 1954
The Panchsheel Agreement was signed on 29 April 1954 between India and China. It was formally part of the 'Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between Tibet Region of China and India.'
Step 2: The Five Principles
The five principles are: (1) Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty, (2) Mutual non-aggression, (3) Mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, (4) Equality and mutual benefit, and (5) Peaceful coexistence.
Step 3: Key figures involved
The agreement was negotiated under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. The spirit of 'Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai' (Indians and Chinese are brothers) characterised this era, though it ended with the Sino-Indian War of 1962.
Answer:
The Panchsheel principles were jointly enunciated by India and China in 1954.
Quick Tip:
Panchsheel became a foundational principle of India's Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) foreign policy. The 1962 war is seen as a repudiation of these principles by China.
Who was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India?
Understanding:
We need to identify India's first Chief Election Commissioner.
Step 1: Establishment of the Election Commission
The Election Commission of India was established on 25 January 1950, the day before the Constitution came into force. This date is now celebrated as National Voters' Day.
Step 2: Sukumar Sen as first CEC
Sukumar Sen was appointed as India's first Chief Election Commissioner. He served from 1950 to 1958 and conducted the first two general elections of India — the historic 1951-52 general elections (the first elections based on universal adult franchise) and the 1957 elections.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
T.N. Seshan is celebrated as a transformative CEC (1990–1996) who enforced the Model Code of Conduct strictly. M.S. Gill and S.P. Sen Verma also served as CEC but at later periods.
Answer:
Sukumar Sen was India's first Chief Election Commissioner, serving from 1950 to 1958.
Quick Tip:
Sukumar Sen earned international recognition for conducting the first general elections in independent India — one of the largest electoral exercises ever held at that time, involving nearly 176 million voters.
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were executed on 23 March 1931 in connection with the killing of which British police officer?
Understanding:
We need to identify the British officer whose killing led to the execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev.
Step 1: The Lahore Conspiracy Case
Bhagat Singh and his associates had planned to kill James A. Scott, the Superintendent of Police who had ordered a lathi-charge on Lala Lajpat Rai during the Simon Commission protests in October 1928. Lajpat Rai later died, which the revolutionaries attributed to injuries from the lathi-charge.
Step 2: Mistaken identity and the killing of Saunders
However, on 17 December 1928, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Chandrashekhar Azad mistakenly shot and killed John Saunders, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, instead of Scott at the Lahore District Police Headquarters. This case became known as the Lahore Conspiracy Case.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
Michael O'Dwyer was the Lt. Governor of Punjab during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and was assassinated by Udham Singh in London in 1940. Colonel Reginald Dyer ordered the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. James A. Scott was the intended target but was not killed.
Answer:
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were executed for the killing of John Saunders, a British police officer in Lahore.
Quick Tip:
23 March 1931 is observed as Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs' Day) in India to honour the sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev.
Mahatma Gandhi launched the Salt March (Dandi March) on 12 March 1930 from which location?
Understanding:
We need to identify the starting point of Gandhi's famous Salt March in 1930.
Step 1: The Dandi March
The Salt March, also called the Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha, was a nonviolent civil disobedience campaign led by Mahatma Gandhi to protest the British monopoly on salt and the Salt Tax imposed under the Salt Laws.
Step 2: Starting point — Sabarmati Ashram
Gandhi began his 386-kilometre march on 12 March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He walked with 78 selected satyagrahis towards the coastal village of Dandi, where on 6 April 1930 he symbolically made salt from seawater, defying British law.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
Wardha Ashram (Sevagram Ashram) was Gandhi's ashram in Wardha, Maharashtra, established later in 1936. Sevagram is in the same Wardha district. Sriniketan was Rabindranath Tagore's rural reconstruction centre in Bengal.
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi launched the Salt March from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on 12 March 1930.
Quick Tip:
The Dandi March was approximately 386 km and took 24 days (12 March to 6 April 1930). The number of initial marchers — 78 — is a frequently tested detail.
Who among the following served as the President of the Indian National Congress during the historic Lahore Session of 1929, where the demand for 'Purna Swaraj' (complete independence) was declared?
Understanding:
We need to identify the Congress President at the landmark Lahore Session of 1929.
Step 1: The Lahore Session, 1929
The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress was held in December 1929. This session was a turning point in India's freedom struggle because it formally passed the resolution for Purna Swaraj — complete independence from British rule — replacing the earlier demand for Dominion Status.
Step 2: Jawaharlal Nehru's presidency
Jawaharlal Nehru presided over this session. At midnight on 31 December 1929, the tricolour flag of India was unfurled on the banks of the Ravi river. 26 January 1930 was declared as the first Independence Day (Purna Swaraj Day), a date later chosen as Republic Day.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
Motilal Nehru presided over the Amritsar (1919) and Calcutta (1928) sessions. Mahatma Gandhi presided over the Belgaum session (1924). Subhas Chandra Bose presided over the Haripura (1938) and Tripuri (1939) sessions.
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the Lahore Session of 1929 where Purna Swaraj was declared.
Quick Tip:
The sequence father-then-son is notable: Motilal Nehru presided over the 1928 Calcutta session, and Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the 1929 Lahore session — the only father-son duo to consecutively preside over the INC.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was instrumental in getting which legislation passed in 1856, marking a social reform milestone in colonial India?
Understanding:
We need to identify the key legislation associated with Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's reform campaign.
Step 1: Vidyasagar's campaign for widow remarriage
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820–1891), a scholar and social reformer of Bengal, campaigned extensively against the prohibition of widow remarriage among upper-caste Hindus. He submitted petitions to the British government and mobilised public opinion.
Step 2: Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856
His efforts culminated in the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856, passed under Governor-General Lord Dalhousie. This Act legalised the remarriage of Hindu widows and declared that widows who remarried would not forfeit any property or rights they were entitled to.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
The Sati Regulation Act (1829) was the result of Raja Ram Mohan Roy's campaign. The Child Marriage Restraint Act (1929), also called the Sarda Act, was associated with Har Bilas Sarda. The Age of Consent Act (1891) was passed following campaigns led by reformers like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and B.M. Malabari.
Answer:
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was instrumental in the passage of the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act of 1856.
Quick Tip:
Vidyasagar also pioneered women's education in Bengal. His name literally means 'Ocean of Learning' — a title conferred by the Sanskrit College, Calcutta.
Which Article of the Indian Constitution provides for the establishment of the Supreme Court of India?
Understanding:
We need to identify the constitutional article that establishes the Supreme Court of India.
Step 1: Article 124 of the Constitution
Article 124 of the Indian Constitution establishes the Supreme Court of India. It states: 'There shall be a Supreme Court of India consisting of a Chief Justice of India and, until Parliament by law prescribes a larger number, of not more than seven other Judges.'
Step 2: Subsequent provisions
Article 124 also lays down the qualifications for appointment, the appointment process (by the President after consultation), and the grounds for removal of judges through impeachment by Parliament.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
Article 143 empowers the President to refer a question of law to the Supreme Court for its advisory opinion. Article 148 establishes the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Article 32 grants citizens the right to move the Supreme Court for enforcement of Fundamental Rights — it does not establish the court.
Answer:
Article 124 of the Indian Constitution provides for the establishment of the Supreme Court of India.
Quick Tip:
Article 32, which gives citizens the right to approach the Supreme Court, is itself a Fundamental Right. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar called Article 32 'the heart and soul of the Constitution.'
Who authored the book 'The Discovery of India,' written while he was imprisoned at Ahmednagar Fort during 1942–1946?
Understanding:
We need to identify the author of the book 'The Discovery of India' written during imprisonment.
Step 1: Jawaharlal Nehru's literary output
Jawaharlal Nehru was a prolific writer who composed several important works during his numerous periods of imprisonment. 'The Discovery of India' was written during his detention at Ahmednagar Fort from April 1942 to June 1945.
Step 2: Content of the book
In this work, Nehru explored India's history, culture, philosophy, and civilisation from the Indus Valley period through ancient, medieval, and modern times, culminating with the Indian independence movement. The book reflects his vision of India as a pluralistic, secular civilisation.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
Mahatma Gandhi's notable writings include 'Hind Swaraj' and his autobiography 'The Story of My Experiments with Truth.' Maulana Abul Kalam Azad wrote 'India Wins Freedom.' Subhas Chandra Bose authored 'The Indian Struggle,' not this book.
Answer:
Jawaharlal Nehru authored 'The Discovery of India' while imprisoned at Ahmednagar Fort between 1942 and 1946.
Quick Tip:
Nehru's other major works include 'Glimpses of World History' (written as letters to his daughter Indira) and his autobiography 'Toward Freedom.' Keeping track of authors and their books is a productive exam preparation strategy.
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919 took place in which city?
Understanding:
We need to identify the city in which the Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place.
Step 1: The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
On 13 April 1919, on the occasion of the Baisakhi festival, a large crowd of unarmed civilians — including men, women, and children — had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh, a public garden in Amritsar, Punjab.
Step 2: The massacre
Brigadier-General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer ordered his troops to open fire on the crowd without warning. The firing lasted approximately ten minutes. Official British figures cited 379 deaths, but Indian National Congress estimates placed the death toll at over 1,000.
Step 3: Consequences
The massacre provoked nationwide outrage. Rabindranath Tagore renounced his British knighthood in protest. It became a decisive turning point that radicalised Indian public opinion against British rule and strengthened the demand for independence.
Answer:
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in Amritsar, Punjab, on 13 April 1919.
Quick Tip:
Michael O'Dwyer, the Lt. Governor of Punjab who approved Dyer's actions, was assassinated in London in 1940 by Udham Singh — an act of revenge that took over two decades to execute.
Who was the first woman to become the Chief Minister of an Indian state?
Understanding:
We need to identify India's first woman Chief Minister of any state.
Step 1: Sucheta Kripalani's historic milestone
Sucheta Kripalani became the first woman Chief Minister in India when she assumed office as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on 2 October 1963. She served until 1967 and was a member of the Indian National Congress.
Step 2: Her background
Sucheta Kripalani was also a veteran freedom fighter who had participated in the Quit India Movement of 1942. She was married to J.B. Kripalani, a prominent Congress leader. During her tenure, she handled a major government employees' strike firmly.
Step 3: Eliminating other options
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first woman president of the United Nations General Assembly (1953) and first woman Governor of Maharashtra. Sarojini Naidu served as the first woman Governor of an Indian state (United Provinces, now UP, 1947). Nandini Satpathy served as Chief Minister of Odisha but after Sucheta Kripalani.
Answer:
Sucheta Kripalani was the first woman Chief Minister of an Indian state, serving as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1963 to 1967.
Quick Tip:
Remember the 'firsts' for women in Indian governance: First woman Governor — Sarojini Naidu (UP, 1947); First woman CM — Sucheta Kripalani (UP, 1963); First woman PM — Indira Gandhi (1966); First woman President — Pratibha Patil (2007).
The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 under the presidency of whom, with the active support of Allan Octavian Hume?
Understanding:
The question asks about the first president of the Indian National Congress at its inaugural session in 1885.
Step 1: Historical Context
The Indian National Congress held its first session in Bombay (present-day Mumbai) in December 1885. Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, played a pivotal organisational role in its founding.
Step 2: Identifying the First President
Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee (also spelled Umesh Chandra Banerjee), a prominent lawyer from Calcutta, presided over this first session. He was elected as the founding president of the INC.
Step 3: Eliminating Other Options
Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjee, and Pherozeshah Mehta were all important early Congress leaders, but none of them presided over the inaugural 1885 session. Surendranath Banerjee had actually founded the Indian Association in 1876 as a separate body.
Answer:
Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was the first president of the Indian National Congress at its founding session in 1885.
The partition of Bengal in 1905 was carried out by which Viceroy of India, and was later annulled in 1911?
Understanding:
The question asks about the Viceroy responsible for the Partition of Bengal in 1905.
Step 1: The Partition of Bengal
Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, partitioned Bengal on 16 October 1905 on the grounds of administrative efficiency. In reality, it was widely seen as a 'divide and rule' strategy, separating the predominantly Muslim eastern Bengal from the Hindu-majority western Bengal.
Step 2: Consequences and Annulment
The partition triggered the Swadeshi Movement, one of the most significant mass movements before the Gandhian era. The annulment came in 1911 under Lord Hardinge, who succeeded Lord Minto, when the capital was also shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.
Step 3: Eliminating Other Options
Lord Minto was Viceroy after Curzon and oversaw the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909. Lord Ripon was known for the Ilbert Bill controversy in the 1880s. Lord Hardinge presided over the Delhi Durbar and the annulment of partition.
Answer:
Lord Curzon carried out the Partition of Bengal in 1905.
The Non-Cooperation Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 was suspended in February 1922 following which event?
Understanding:
The question asks about the specific event that caused Gandhi to suspend the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922.
Step 1: The Non-Cooperation Movement
Launched in September 1920, the Non-Cooperation Movement called on Indians to boycott British goods, institutions, and services. It gained massive popular participation across the country.
Step 2: The Chauri Chaura Incident
On 5 February 1922, at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the United Provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh), a mob of protesters clashed with police and set fire to a police station, killing approximately 22 policemen. Gandhi, deeply committed to non-violence as a foundational principle, was horrified by this violence.
Step 3: Suspension of the Movement
Gandhi unilaterally called off the Non-Cooperation Movement on 12 February 1922, despite strong opposition from many Congress leaders including Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das. He believed that the masses were not yet ready for non-violent civil disobedience on such a large scale.
Step 4: Eliminating Other Options
Gandhi's arrest came after the suspension. The Simon Commission arrived in 1928, well after the movement ended. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in 1931 in connection with the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Answer:
The Chauri Chaura incident of February 1922 led Gandhi to suspend the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Which act introduced the system of 'dyarchy' in the provinces of British India, dividing subjects into 'reserved' and 'transferred' categories?
Understanding:
The question asks about the legislative act that introduced the dyarchy system in Indian provincial governance.
Step 1: Understanding Dyarchy
Dyarchy (dual government) was a constitutional mechanism that divided provincial subjects into two categories — 'reserved' subjects (such as finance, law, and order) controlled by the Governor and his executive council, and 'transferred' subjects (such as education, health, and agriculture) administered by ministers responsible to the legislative council.
Step 2: The Government of India Act, 1919
This act, also known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (named after Secretary of State Edwin Montagu and Viceroy Lord Chelmsford), formally introduced dyarchy at the provincial level. It was a partial concession towards representative government.
Step 3: Eliminating Other Options
The Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms) introduced separate electorates for Muslims but not dyarchy. The Government of India Act of 1935 abolished dyarchy in provinces and instead introduced provincial autonomy. The Indian Independence Act of 1947 granted independence.
Answer:
The Government of India Act, 1919 introduced dyarchy in the provinces of British India.
Who was the founder of the Indian Independence League and is credited with the famous slogan 'Delhi Chalo'?
Understanding:
The question asks about the leader who gave the rallying cry 'Delhi Chalo' and is closely associated with the Indian Independence League.
Step 1: The Indian Independence League and INA
The Indian Independence League was an organisation established to mobilise Indians in Southeast Asia against British rule. Subhas Chandra Bose took command of the Indian National Army (INA) in 1943 and dramatically energised the independence movement in the region.
Step 2: The Slogan 'Delhi Chalo'
Subhas Chandra Bose coined and popularised the battle cry 'Delhi Chalo' (March to Delhi), urging the INA to advance and liberate India from British rule. He also gave the renowned slogans 'Jai Hind' and 'Give me blood and I will give you freedom.'
Step 3: Clarifying Rash Behari Bose
Rash Behari Bose was the initial founder of the Indian Independence League in 1942 in Tokyo, but it was Subhas Chandra Bose who took over its leadership, transformed the INA, and gave the 'Delhi Chalo' call. The question's combination of the slogan and the league points definitively to Subhas Chandra Bose.
Answer:
Subhas Chandra Bose gave the famous slogan 'Delhi Chalo' and led the Indian Independence League and INA during World War II.
The Rowlatt Act of 1919 was strongly opposed by Indians because it allowed the British government to do which of the following?
Understanding:
The question asks about the specific provisions of the Rowlatt Act that made it so deeply unpopular among Indians.
Step 1: Background of the Rowlatt Act
The Rowlatt Act (officially the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919) was passed on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee chaired by Justice Sidney Rowlatt. It was intended to extend emergency wartime powers into peacetime.
Step 2: Key Provisions
The act empowered the British government to arrest and detain political suspects without trial, to deny the arrested persons the right to know their accuser, and to suppress the press through strict censorship. Indians labelled it the 'Black Act' and it was widely seen as a direct assault on civil liberties.
Step 3: Gandhi's Response
Gandhi called for a nationwide hartal (strike) on 6 April 1919 against the act, which eventually culminated in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on 13 April 1919, when General Dyer ordered firing on a peaceful gathering.
Step 4: Eliminating Other Options
Tariff imposition, provincial partition, and compulsory conscription were not provisions of the Rowlatt Act. These relate to different aspects of British colonial policy.
Answer:
The Rowlatt Act allowed detention of political suspects without trial and empowered the government to suppress the press, making it deeply resented by Indians.
The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 proposed which of the following for post-independence India?
Understanding:
The question asks about the key structural proposal of the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946.
Step 1: The Cabinet Mission
The Cabinet Mission, consisting of Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander, arrived in India in March 1946 to work out a plan for the transfer of power while keeping India united.
Step 2: The Core Proposal
The Cabinet Mission Plan rejected the idea of a full partition and instead proposed a three-tier federal structure. At the top was a Union of India handling only three subjects — defence, foreign affairs, and communications — with a very weak central government. Provinces were grouped into three sections (A, B, and C), and provinces within each group could form intermediate-level groupings.
Step 3: Reception and Outcome
The Congress accepted the plan but rejected the compulsory grouping of provinces. The Muslim League initially accepted it but later withdrew. The plan ultimately failed, leading to the Mountbatten Plan of 1947 and actual partition.
Step 4: Eliminating Other Options
Complete partition was explicitly rejected by the Cabinet Mission. Transfer of power to each province independently and creation of three independent nations were not part of this plan.
Answer:
The Cabinet Mission Plan proposed a federation where the central government handled only defence, foreign affairs, and communications, with a largely autonomous provincial structure.
Who among the following was the president of the Indian National Congress when the 'Quit India' resolution was passed in August 1942?
Understanding:
The question asks about the president of the Indian National Congress at the time of the Quit India Movement in August 1942.
Step 1: The Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement was launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee on 8 August 1942. Mahatma Gandhi gave the electrifying call of 'Do or Die,' demanding an immediate end to British rule.
Step 2: The Congress President in 1942
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad served as the president of the Indian National Congress from 1940 to 1945 — an exceptionally long tenure during the turbulent years of World War II. He thus presided over the Congress when the Quit India resolution was passed.
Step 3: Significance of Azad's Presidency
Azad's presidency during this period was symbolically important as it demonstrated the secular character of the Congress. He was a prominent Muslim leader who firmly opposed the partition of India on religious lines.
Step 4: Eliminating Other Options
Jawaharlal Nehru became Congress president on multiple occasions but not in 1942. Sardar Patel and C. Rajagopalachari held other positions during this period but not the presidency.
Answer:
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was the president of the Indian National Congress when the Quit India resolution was passed in August 1942.