Editing Jawaharlal Nehru (section)

=== Declaration of independence ===
[[File:Jawaharlal Nehru and Motilal Nehru in 1929.jpg|thumb|Nehru, President-elect of the Lahore session of the Indian National Congress in 1929, with the outgoing President, his father Motilal]]
[[File:Gandhi Nehru 1929.jpg|thumb|Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi in 1929]]
Nehru was one of the first leaders to demand that the Congress Party should resolve to make a complete and explicit break from all ties with the British Empire. The Madras session of Congress in 1927, approved his resolution for independence despite Gandhi's criticism. At that time, he formed the Independence for India League, a pressure group within the Congress.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dutt|first=R.C.|url={{Google books|2WI31XdK8pkC|page=PR9|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|title=Socialism of Jawaharlal Nehru|date=1981|publisher=Shakti Malik, Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-128-7|location=New Delhi|pages=54–55|access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="Gandhi-1991">{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/patellife00rajm|title=Patel: A Life|date=28 November 1991|publisher=Navajivan Publishing House|via=Internet Archive|pages=171|first=Rajmohan|last=Gandhi|author-link=Rajmohan Gandhi}}</ref> In 1928, Gandhi agreed to Nehru's demands and proposed a resolution that called for the British to grant Dominion status to India within two years.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Nag|first=Kingshuk|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=duHwCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT61|title=Netaji: Living Dangerously|year=2015|isbn=978-93-84439-70-5|publisher=Paranjoy Guha Thakurta}}</ref> If the British failed to meet the deadline, the Congress would call upon all Indians to fight for complete independence. Nehru was one of the leaders who objected to the time given to the British—he pressed Gandhi to demand immediate actions from the British. Gandhi brokered a further compromise by reducing the time given from two years to one.<ref name="Gandhi-1991" /> The British rejected demands for Dominion status in 1929.<ref name="Gandhi-1991" /> Nehru assumed the presidency of the Congress party during the Lahore session on 29 December 1929 and introduced a successful resolution calling for [[Purna Swaraj|complete independence]].<ref name="Gandhi-1991" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Purna Swaraj: The Demand for Full Independence 26 January 1930|url=http://www.indiaofthepast.org/contribute-memories/read-contributions/major-events-pre-1950/283-purna-swaraj-the-demand-for-full-independence-26-january-1930-|access-date=6 July 2015|publisher=indiaofthepast.org|archive-date=8 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108144457/http://www.indiaofthepast.org/contribute-memories/read-contributions/major-events-pre-1950/283-purna-swaraj-the-demand-for-full-independence-26-january-1930-|url-status=dead}}</ref> Nehru drafted the Indian Declaration of Independence, which stated:

<blockquote>We believe that it is the inalienable right of the Indian people, as of any other people, to have freedom and to enjoy the fruits of their toil and have the necessities of life, so that they may have full opportunities for growth. We believe also that if any government deprives a people of these rights and oppresses them the people have a further right to alter it or abolish it. The British government in India has not only deprived the Indian people of their freedom but has based itself on the exploitation of the masses, and has ruined India economically, politically, culturally, and spiritually. We believe, therefore, that India must sever the British connection and attain Purna Swaraj or complete independence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/transcript/g3cs3s2t.htm|title=Learning Curve British Empire|first=Public Record|last=Office|website=Public Record Office, The National Archives|access-date=28 November 2021|archive-date=28 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128132706/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/transcript/g3cs3s2t.htm|url-status=live}}</ref></blockquote>

At midnight on New Year's Eve 1929, Nehru hoisted the [[tricolour]] [[flag of India]] upon the banks of the [[Ravi River|Ravi]] in Lahore.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Haroon|last=Khalid|url=https://scroll.in/article/866428/republic-day-story-on-ravis-banks-a-pledge-that-shaped-the-course-of-modern-india-88-years-ago|title=Republic Day story: On Ravi's banks, a pledge that shaped the course of modern India 88 years ago|website=[[Scroll.in]]|date=26 January 2018|access-date=16 August 2021|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730202934/https://scroll.in/article/866428/republic-day-story-on-ravis-banks-a-pledge-that-shaped-the-course-of-modern-india-88-years-ago|url-status=live}}</ref> A pledge of independence was read out, which included a readiness to withhold taxes. The massive gathering of the public attending the ceremony was asked if they agreed with it, and the majority of people were witnessed raising their hands in approval. 172 Indian members of central and provincial legislatures resigned in support of the resolution and in accordance with Indian public sentiment. The Congress asked the people of India to observe 26&nbsp;January as Independence Day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-january-26-is-celebrated-as-republic-day-6230037/|title=Explained: Why India celebrates January 26 as Republic Day|date=30 January 2021|access-date=21 November 2021|archive-date=21 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121012116/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-january-26-is-celebrated-as-republic-day-6230037/|url-status=live}}</ref> Congress volunteers, nationalists, and the public hoisted the flag of India publicly across India. Plans for mass civil disobedience were also underway.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Education|first=Pearson|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ADFpDwAAQBAJ&pg=SA1-PA145|title=SSC topic-wise Previous Years Solved Papers General Awareness|isbn=978-93-5286-640-3|publisher=Pearson Education India}}</ref>

After the Lahore session of the Congress in 1929, Nehru gradually emerged as the paramount leader of the Indian independence movement. Gandhi stepped back into a more spiritual role. Although Gandhi did not explicitly designate Nehru as his political heir until 1942, as early as the mid-1930s, the country saw Nehru as the natural successor to Gandhi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/op-ed/151118/the-greatest-indian-after-the-mahatma-why-gandhi-chose-nehru-to-lead.html|title=The greatest Indian after the Mahatma? Why Gandhi chose Nehru to lead India|first=Praveen|last=Davar|date=15 November 2018|website=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=21 November 2021|archive-date=21 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121011350/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/op-ed/151118/the-greatest-indian-after-the-mahatma-why-gandhi-chose-nehru-to-lead.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1929, Nehru had already drafted the "Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy" resolution that set the government agenda for an independent India.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Maheshwari|first=Neerja|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=okUSbReaevUC&pg=PA41|title=Economic Policy of Jawaharlal Nehru|date=1997|publisher=Deep & Deep|isbn=978-81-7100-850-6|pages=41|access-date=9 November 2018}}</ref> The resolution was ratified  in 1931 at the [[Karachi]] session chaired by [[Vallabhbhai Patel]].<ref>{{Cite book |editor-last=Pandey |editor-first=BN |title=The Indian Nationalist Movement 1885–1947: Select Documents |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KauwCwAAQBAJ&pg=PR7 |year=2015 |publisher=[[Springer Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-349-86215-3 |page=45}}</ref>