Safety Valve Theory — Mains Questions

Critically examine the Safety Valve Theory regarding the formation of the Indian National Congress. How do nationalist historians counter this interpretation?

Analyze the role of Allan Octavian Hume in the formation of the Indian National Congress. To what extent does his background support or contradict the Safety Valve Theory?

How does the Safety Valve Theory relate to broader patterns of colonial control and resistance? Discuss with reference to the evolution of the Indian National Congress.