Partition Of Bengal

(16 October, 1905)

Introduction
 Hindus attitude and hue and cry against partition of Bengal was
another eye-opener for the Muslims depicting that Hindus were not
sincere with the Muslims.
 Nothing illustrates so well the validity of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
readings of Hindus’ mind as the agitation against the partition of
Bengal.
 Muslim leaders were insulted, Muslim workers were assualted;
their houses were vandilized.
 Continued….
 After war of independence, Britain brought political ideals of
democracy to India.
 The British had long viewed Bengal as too huge a province to be
governed as a single administrative provinces.
 Of all the provinces of British India, Bengal was the largest province.
 It covered an area of about 189,000 sq. miles
 At the end of nineteenth century, it included western Bengal with a
population of 54million( 42 million Hindus and 12 million Muslims)
and east Bengal and Assam with a population of 31 million( 12
million Hindus and 18 million Muslims)
 There were ten times as many people in Bengal as there were in
Britain at that time.
 In 1905, Lord Curzon sent this scheme to London. It was sanctioned
by authorities in London and new provinces were created.
New Provinces:
 In 1905, the provinces of Bengal and Assam were reconstituted so as to form
two provinces of manageable size.
 The scheme was sent to London. It was approved officially on 16 October,
1905.
 The new provinces included West Bengal and East Bengal. The East Bengal
would also consist of Assam.
 Muslims were in majority in East Bengal while Hindus were in majority in
west Bengal.
 Important aspect of the development was that industries and factories were
located in East Bengal.
 With Muslim majority in East Bengal, Hindus feared their dominance over
industries and factories.
The Muslim View:
 Delighted and jubilated
 Since 1857, for the first time they their position was improved
 On 22 October, a large Muslim meeting was called in Deca which appreciated
the new development.
 Two days they offered thanksgiving prayers and wrote gratification letters to
secretary of state
 Such arrangement would escape them for Hindu dominance and suppression
 Muslim league, which was established in 1906, adopted resolutions and
condemned Hindu agitation. It hoped that Britain would not fall to Hindu
agitation and consider the partition as a settled fact.
 The Hindu View:
 Hindus started hue and cry. Many Hindu leaders started spewing
venom against British rulers.
 Leveled allegation against Lord Curzon for dividing Hindus and
Muslims; for favoring Muslims; for vivisecting Bengali motherland
 Mahindra Chandra Bose, a Hindu nationalist leader said, ‘in the new
province the Muslims will be in majority while the Bengali Hindus
will be in minority. We shall be strangers in our own land’
 Hindus of East Bengal celebrated the day of partition as a black day.
Businesses remained closed and Hindus observed fast unto death
 Another Hindu nationalist leader Suredranath Baneerjee exploded
and said, ‘the announcement came as a bombshell, we felt that we
have been humiliated and tricked.
Continued…….
 Indian national congress, that claimed to represent the Hindus and
Muslims, biased and partial attitude came to the fore as it openly
rejected partition of Bengal. It was an eye opener for the Muslims
that Indian National Congress could never take an unbiased
approach in dealing with communal problems
 To further pressurize the government, Hindu nationalists started
Swadeshi (homemade) Movement. It’s primarily objectives were
use locally made products and boycott British goods. Such a policy
greatly affected British government economically
 It led to communal clashes as Muslims refused to comply with
Hindus call for boycotting British goods. Muslims continued to sell
foreign clothes which led to blood shed.
 Furthermore, viceroys along with their wives were attacked.
Annulment of Partition- 1911
 British government surrendered to Hindus agitation
 Lord Harding annulled(reversed) the partition in 1911.
 Muslims who were backward in education, political consciousness
and means of publicity were unable to counter Hindu propaganda.
therefore, political reorganization of Bengal was undone, Muslims
were once again made subservient o Hindus
 Impacts on Muslims
 widened the gap between the Hindus and Muslims
 Muslims was greatly perturbed by the decision. They felt that
they were humiliated and isolated. Their joy was transformed into
grief; their doubt was changed into reality
 It awakened and Muslims against British rulers and Hindus
( Muslim nationalism)
 All India Muslim league passed a resolution condemning the
decision to annul the Bengal. The resolution was moved by
Mohammad Ali Johar. Moving the resolution he said that it might
be strange that non Bengali was moving a resolution but he
regarded all Muslims as one nation
 Muslims doubted INC and showed inclination towards Muslim
league
Questions