Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R. Assertion A : Indian National Congress was started by A.O. Hume under the official direction, guidance and advice of Lord Dufferin, the viceroy. Reason R : The Indian National Congress was to provide a mild, safe, peaceful and constitutional outlet or safety value for rising discontent among the masses. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

- Assertion A: The statement reflects the widely discussed 'Safety Valve Theory' regarding the origin of the Indian National Congress. According to this theory, A.O. Hume founded the INC in 1885 with the tacit approval and advice of the then Viceroy, Lord Dufferin. The idea was that Hume would act as an intermediary between the government and Indian educated elite, and the organization would function under government guidance initially. - Reason R: This statement accurately describes the core idea behind the Safety Valve Theory. The British government, fearful of a potential widespread revolt after the 1857 mutiny, sought a safe and constitutional platform where the rising discontent among the educated Indians could be voiced and channelled in a controlled manner, preventing it from escalating into a more dangerous mass movement. The INC, in its early moderate phase, served this purpose. - Relationship: Reason R provides the motive and context for the action described in Assertion A. The "official direction, guidance and advice" (A) from Lord Dufferin to A.O. Hume for starting the INC was allegedly given with the express purpose (R) of creating a 'safety valve' to prevent political unrest among Indians. Thus, R explains why A happened according to this historical perspective.