Which among the following first imparted a mass character to the Indian National Congress?

Mahatma Gandhi is credited with transforming the Indian National Congress from an elitist, constitutional body into a genuine mass movement [t5]. While the Swadeshi movement (1905-07) led by figures like Lala Lajpat Rai broadened appeal among the middle classes [t2], it was Gandhi's leadership after 1919 that truly imparted a mass character to the organization [t6]. He introduced a new constitution that established a nationwide base, including Provincial Congress Committees based on linguistic regions and local units at the village level [c1][t5]. By reducing membership fees to four annas, he enabled the peasantry and workers to join, ensuring the nationalist message reached the remotest corners of India [c5][t4]. This structural overhaul and his focus on agrarian issues allowed the masses to develop a sense of belonging to the national struggle [c3][c5].

Sources

1. [1] https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/lehs303.pdf
2. [2] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 11: MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT > The miraculous and the unbelievable > p. 294
3. [3] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > c) Launch of Non-Cooperation Movement > p. 48
4. [4] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 5: Period of Radicalism in Anti-imperialist Struggles > 5.4 Karachi Session of the Indian National Congress, 1931 > p. 66