“The Congress is tottering to its fall and one of my great ambitions while in India, is to assist it to a peaceful demise.” This statement is attributed to
- ALord Dufferin
- BLord CurzonCorrect
- CLord Lytton
- DNone of the above
Explanation
Lord Curzon, who served as the Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, was deeply hostile toward the Indian National Congress. He believed the organization was becoming weak and ineffective. He wrote these specific words in a letter to the Secretary of State in 1900, expressing his hope that the Congress would soon collapse. Curzon followed a policy of ignoring the Congress and its demands, believing that it did not represent the Indian masses. This attitude was a key part of his reactionary administration, which eventually led to the controversial Partition of Bengal in 1905.

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