Before Mahatma Gandhi assumed leadership of the Indian National Congress, which leader was widely regarded as being in command of the nationalist movement?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to modern Indian political history and focuses on leadership within the nationalist movement just before Mahatma Gandhi emerged as the central figure. Understanding who led the more assertive phase of nationalism prior to Gandhi helps you see continuity in the movement from the “extremists” of the early 20th century to the mass movements of the Gandhian era.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks who was effectively in command of the nationalist movement before Gandhi's leadership of the Congress.
• Options include C. R. Das, Motilal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai and Lokmanya Tilak.
• We assume knowledge of the Extremist trio: Lal (Lajpat Rai), Bal (Tilak) and Pal (Bipin Chandra Pal).
• We focus on the leader most often described as the main figure of assertive nationalism before Gandhi.

Concept / Approach:
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak is widely known as one of the foremost leaders of the pre-Gandhian nationalist movement. He represented the Extremist wing of the Congress and strongly criticised moderate constitutional methods. His declaration “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” became a powerful slogan. By the early 20th century, Tilak was so influential that the British called him “the father of Indian unrest”. While Lala Lajpat Rai and C. R. Das were also major leaders, historical narratives and exam syllabi usually emphasise Tilak as the central figure in command of the movement just before Gandhi rose to prominence after 1919.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Place the question in time: the period roughly from the late 19th century to the early decades of the 20th century, before Gandhi's mass movements.Step 2: Recall that Lokmanya Tilak led the Extremist faction in the Congress and played a key role in agitations like the Swadeshi movement after the partition of Bengal (1905).Step 3: Recognise that Tilak's slogans and campaigns gave a more assertive and confrontational direction to the nationalist struggle.Step 4: Compare with other leaders: C. R. Das rose to prominence slightly later, particularly in the Non-Cooperation and Swarajist phases; Motilal Nehru also became more prominent after the First World War; Lala Lajpat Rai was a major leader but not usually singled out as “in command” of the entire movement.Step 5: Therefore, the leader widely regarded as commanding the nationalist movement before Gandhi's dominance was Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Verification / Alternative check:
Modern Indian history books often describe Tilak as the most important leader of the Extremist phase and note that Gandhi himself acknowledged Tilak's stature. Many exam guides summarise this period by saying that before Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak was considered the chief leader of the Congress and the nationalist movement. MCQs framed in this way consistently give Lokmanya Tilak as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
C. R. Das: A major leader associated with the Non-Cooperation and Swarajist movements, prominent mainly after Gandhi's arrival on the scene.Motilal Nehru: An important Congress leader and lawyer, but his peak influence also comes later, together with his son Jawaharlal Nehru.Lala Lajpat Rai: A key member of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio, but standard narratives still treat Tilak as the central figure in command of the movement before Gandhi.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes pick Lala Lajpat Rai because of the famous trio or choose C. R. Das due to his role in the Non-Cooperation period. Another confusion arises when people think of “command” in a military sense rather than as symbolic political leadership. To answer correctly, remember that exam summaries usually regard Lokmanya Tilak as the leading figure of nationalism immediately before Gandhi's mass leadership.

Final Answer:
Before Mahatma Gandhi assumed leadership of the Congress, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak was widely regarded as the leader in command of the nationalist movement.