Concept:India’s independence was a gradual process, not a sudden event. Political consciousness and associations grew slowly over decades, leading to the final freedom in 1947.
Explanation:After 1850, political associations like the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha and Madras Mahajan Sabha began to openly criticize British control over India’s resources. This shows the spread of political awareness.
These associations argued that the people, not the British, should have sovereign power in governance. This idea became the ideological foundation of the freedom struggle.
The Ilbert Bill controversy (1883) made educated Indians realise that a single, all‑India organisation was needed to represent their interests. This directly led to the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885.
Option (c) is incorrect because even though regional associations worked in specific areas, they did not serve as evidence for the long‑drawn process of nation‑building. The assertion is about the gradual emergence of national consciousness, not about regional limitations.
Thus, the correct evidence includes (a), (b), and (d) only.
Answer:Option D: (a), (b) and (d) only