The document spoke on behalf of Indians and made its intention of launching the civil disobedience movement clear. It indicted British rule and succinctly articulated the resulting economic, political and cultural injustice inflicted on Indians. It called for severing ties with the British and claimed вЂPurna SwarajвЂ™ or 'completeВ independence'. The resolution was a short 750-word document.В It didВ not have a legal/constitutional structure вЂ“ it readВ more like a manifesto. The resolution marked the beginning of a large-scale political movement against colonial rule. The Indian National Congress irked and now changed its stance: it gave up demands for dominion status and instead, at its Lahore Session in 1929, passed the вЂPurna SwarajвЂ™ resolution that called for complete independence. Under pressure, Lord Irwin, at a meeting with Jinnah, Nehru, Gandhi and Sapru, told Indian leaders that he could not promise dominion status anytime soon. The Irwin Declaration triggered a backlash in England: politicians and the general public were not in favour of India obtaining dominion status. They now wanted all further negotiations with the British to focus on the formalization of dominion status for India.

Indian leaders welcomed this as they had been making the demand for dominion status for a long time. In 1929, Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India, made a vaguely announcedВ вЂ“ referred to as the Irwin Declaration - that India would be granted dominion status in the future. The declaration was passed due to the breakdown of negotiations between leaders of the freedom movement and the British over the question of dominion status for India.

A public declaration was made on 26 January 1930 вЂ“ a day which the Congress Party urged Indians to celebrate as вЂIndependence DayвЂ™. The Indian National Congress, on 19 December 1929, passed the historic вЂPurna SwarajвЂ™ вЂ“ (total independence) resolution вЂ“ at its Lahore session.

Indian national congress significance