Main Demands of Moderates

- Expansion and reform of legislative councils.

- Greater opportunities for Indians in higher posts by holding the ICS examination simultaneously in England and in India.

- Separation of the judiciary from the executive.

- More powers for the local bodies.

- Reduction of land revenue and protection of peasants from unjust landlords.

- Abolition of salt tax and sugar duty.

- Reduction of spending on army.

- Freedom of speech and expression and freedom to form associations

Methods of Moderates

The Moderates had total faith in the British sense of justice and fair play. They were loyal to the British. They looked to England for inspiration and guidance. The Moderates used petitions, resolutions, meetings, leaflets and pamphlets, memorandum and delegations to present their demands. They confined their political activities to the educated classes only. Their aim was to attain political rights and self-government stage by stage.

In the beginning, the British Government welcomed the birth of the Indian National Congress. In 1886, Governor General Lord Dufferin gave a tea garden party for the Congress members in Calcutta. The government officials had also attended Congress sessions. With the increase in Congress demands, the government became unfriendly. It encouraged the Muslims to stay away from the Congress. The only demand of the Congress granted by the British was the expansion of the legislative councils by the Indian Councils Act of 1892.

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