The Partition of Bengal
Write about the Partition of Bengal.
The Partition of Bengal
The main circumstances for militant nationalism came into action as soon as the announcement of partition was known.
In 1905, particularly on 20 July, the order was issued for the division of Bengal. Lord Curzon was behind this completely. The partition was ordered to divide into two different/separate province
-Eastern Bengal, along with Assam
-The remaining Bengal
The first partition of Bengal is marked by an excessive national revolt that questioned British authority directly. Of course, this was planned by the Britishers as the growing rebellions in India threatened their ruling supremacy. Thus, they decided to divide the territory into two parts.
When the first line was drawn across the map by Lord Curzon, everyone recognized their real motives. They understood that this division was not done randomly. This was done to separate the unity of Muslims and Hindus. They were a strong ally in Bengal. Thus, the breaking of the territory based on religion was necessary for the Britishers to secure their positions. The western part had Calcutta and was left to deal with Orissa and Bihar, which were mostly Hindu provinces. However, the Eastern province was dominated by the Muslims, who declared Dhaka as their new capital.
This was a clear indication of a “divide and rule” policy. This triggered the people in the territory, and a flame of nationalism united the entire state to stand against it.
“Bande Mataram”, Bankim Chandra’s song, was sung, and the nation showed their support to the people of Bengal for this brutality. Successively, there were nationalist reforms, boycott movements, and the burning of foreign textiles. The indigenous clothes and industries again gained their strength and boosted the Swadeshi movement all over the nation.
This continued for a while until, in 1911, the national capital shifted to Delhi. This reunited the two parts of Bengal, and Assam regained its position as a separate Indian state. However, with the initial partition, many Muslims have achieved much greater profit, and they don’t give that away. Thus, the British were successful in what they meant to do. Later, in 1947, East Bengal separated, forming Bangladesh.
– Written By GODHULI MONDAL
What are the main reasons that led to the ‘Partition of Bengal’?
Reason of Partition of Bengal
On 16th October 1905, Lord Curzon, Viceroy and Governor-General of India, implemented the scheme for the partition of Bengal. He divided the province of Bengal into two parts:
a. Bengal with Calcutta as capital.
b. Eastern Bengal and Assam, with Dacca as the capital.
Some of the main reasons behind this partition are:
1) Crush the unity of Bengal Politicians and leaders: Through the partition of Bengal, Lord Curzon wanted to reduce the power of eminent leaders who supported the independence movement. His main motive was to crush Congress by crushing the nationalist solidarity in Bengal.
Herbert Risley remarked that “Bengal united is a force, Bengal divided will go in different ways. That the Partition Plan is opposed by Congress is its merit for us. Our principal motive is to weaken a united party against the government.”
2) Cripple the middle-class Bengali: By dividing the provinces religiously, Lord Curzon crippled the educated middle-class nationalists of Bengal. He attempted to hurt the sentiments of Bengalees who participated in national movements. This would ultimately weaken the nationalism in Bengal.
3) Physical as well as Mental division: The unjust territorial readjustments were a deliberate approach to reduce the significance of Calcutta.
Calcutta was regarded as a ‘nerve center of anti-British nationalism’, while Calcutta leaders like Surendranath Banerjee organized anti-British movements all around the country.
The Bengalees were proud of their Vernacular literature and the University of Calcutta, but such a division of province led to a mortal blow to the political radicalism of the Bengalees.
Despite the blatant reasons, the Cambridge School of Historians hold opposite views regarding the reason behind the partition of Bengal. These are:
1) Administrative Reasons: According to Cambridge’s view, Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal solely for Administrative purposes rather than political.
Accordingly, Bengal was a large province consisting of Bihar and Orissa. The large province, along with its population, created hurdles in the appropriate administration of the region.
– Written By Darshna Kaur
The Partition of Bengal was the decision to separate the eastern parts of Bengal from the rest of Bengal. It was announced on 19 July 1905 by the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. The reason given for the decision was that Bengal, with a population of 78 million, had become too big to be administered. The real motive behind the partition was the British desire to weaken Bengal, the nerve center of Indian nationalism, so they divided the people of Bengal based on religion, that is, the Hindus and the Muslims. The British justified the partition by stating that The British said that the partition was an important step in the development of East Bengal. They felt that the partition gave more opportunities in higher education and employment for the Muslims in East Bengal. With the partition, the British could focus on spreading education and increasing employment opportunities in East Bengal. It was also a way to improve the trade capabilities of East Bengal, whereas the original plan, according to the British Viceroy Lord Curzon, was to carve out modern-day Bangladesh and Assam as East Bengal and make Dhaka the new capital. The other part would be West Benga, including the regions of present-day West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. The British cited administrative reasons for the partition of Bengal.
– Written By Srijita Chakraborty
In the early 20th century, Calcutta was the capital city of India, and Bengal was the hotspot of pro-independence activities with freedom fighters like Subash Chandra Bose, Khudiram Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Pritilata Waddedar, Bipin Chandra Pal, etc.
This accumulation of voices of freedom became an issue for the British authorities. In order to separate people, the Britishers divided the state in two halves named West Bengal (Hindu majority) and East Bengal (Muslim majority). It was announced by Lord Curzon (viceroy of India) in July 1905 and implemented in October 1905. But the intent of the Britishers was soon realized, and the partition was undone 6 years later.
In 1911, British authorities shifted the capital city from Calcutta to Delhi.
The partition of Bengal again took place in 1947 with the formation of Pakistan. West Bengal was under India, and the Eastern part was called East Pakistan (Pakistan was then known as West Pakistan). Later, East Pakistan was renamed Bangladesh.
– Written By Sarthak
When and who did the partition of Bengal?
When did the partition of Bengal end?
Partition of Bengal
The Partition of Bengal took place on October 16, 1905, during the British colonial rule in India. It was carried out by Lord Curzon, who was the Viceroy of India at that time. The partition divided the Bengal Presidency into two separate entities: Bengal and Eastern Bengal and Assam. The primary motive behind the partition was to weaken the growing nationalist movement in Bengal.
However, due to widespread protests and opposition from the Indian National Congress and other nationalist organizations, the partition of Bengal was eventually annulled. The decision to reunite Bengal was announced on December 12, 1911, and took effect on April 1, 1912. Therefore, the partition of Bengal officially ended in 1912.
– Written By Suryansh
The historic partition of Bengal occurred on October 16, 1905, within the context of British colonial rule in India. The architect of this division was Lord Curzon, who served as the Viceroy of India at that time. Bengal was intricately split into two distinct entities: East Bengal and Assam, marked by a majority Muslim population, and the remaining portion of Bengal, which encompassed a predominantly Hindu population. While the purported rationale behind the partition was administrative efficiency, the decision carried profound political and communal implications. This move sparked widespread protests and, in the face of mounting opposition, eventually led to the reversal of the partition in 1911.
– Written By Neha Reddy Alla
In the early 20th century, during British rule in India, Viceroy Lord Curzon thought it would be a good idea to split the province of Bengal. He believed that dividing it into two parts would make it easier to manage and govern. So, on October 16, 1905, Bengal was officially divided into two separate entities.
However, this decision didn’t sit well with the people of Bengal. The split seemed to have more to it than just administrative convenience. The new boundaries were drawn in a way that created religious divisions, with the eastern part having a Muslim majority and the western part being predominantly Hindu. This fueled tensions and suspicions among different communities.
The people of Bengal, both Hindus and Muslims, were unhappy with this division. They saw it as an attempt to sow discord among them. The protests against the partition were widespread and intense. People from all walks of life, including political leaders, intellectuals, and common citizens, voiced their opposition.
Realizing the magnitude of the opposition, and with the changing political climate, Viceroy Lord Hardinge took a significant step. On December 12, 1911, he announced the annulment of the partition of Bengal. The province was reunified, but to address some of the administrative concerns, the new provinces of East Bengal and Assam were created. This decision aimed to alleviate the grievances of the people and reduce religious tensions in the region.
The events surrounding the partition of Bengal and its subsequent reversal played a crucial role in shaping the political consciousness of the Indian people and contributed to the larger movement for independence from British rule.
– Written By Anand
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