Consider the following statements with reference to the Justice Party:

1. The Justice Party opposed Congress by calling it a Brahmin dominated organisation.

2. It claimed the same communal representation for non-Brahmins as the Morley-Minto reforms had given to Muslims.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Key Points

• The Justice Party was a political organization in Madras Presidency (modern Tamil Nadu) that emerged in 1916 as a voice for non-Brahmin communities against the dominance of Brahmins in government services, education, and politics.
  • Statement 1 is correct:
• The Justice Party was founded by C. Natesa Mudaliar, T. M. Nair, and P. Thyagaraya Chetty.
  • It strongly opposed the Indian National Congress (INC), calling it a Brahmin-dominated organization that did not represent the interests of non-Brahmins.
• The Justice Party worked for affirmative action in employment and education for non-Brahmins.
  • Statement 2 is correct:
• The party demanded communal representation for non-Brahmins, similar to what the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909 had provided for Muslims.
  • The Morley-Minto Reforms introduced separate electorates for Muslims, and the Justice Party wanted a similar system for non-Brahmins to counter Brahmin dominance.
• The Justice Party successfully influenced the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919, which provided for reservations in government jobs and local bodies for non-Brahmins.
  • Thus, both statements are factually correct. Hence, the correct answer is (3) Both 1 and 2.