The indian national congress began as an armed, anti-british guerrilla movement in south india. had leaders who represented both the secular, educated elite, such as nehru, and those who rejected many western traditions, such as gandhi. did not have any of its leaders imprisoned, due to satyagraha, or non-violent resistance. advocated the creation of a separate muslim state in southern india in 1933 in order to avoid a major split in nationalist ranks. had became hopelessly divided between nehru's traditionalists and gandhian modernists by 1936.