Partition of Bengal

WELCOMETO

OURPRESENTATION

PARTITIONOF

BENGAL(1905-1911)

Administrative Map

Pre-division and partitioned Bengal

Reasonsfor

Bengal partition

Administrative Reasons

• Famine in Bengal in 1866. 80 million inhabitants in 489,000 sq.miles. Administrative efficiency and welfare of

inhabitants. Increase in revenue and tax from East Bengal. Least progress of East Bengal and Assam in

economic, administrative, educational, political and other areas .

• Bandits and pirates using East Bengal as hiding and escaping route.

Political Reasons

• Implementation of “Divide and Rule” policy.

• Preventing Muslims from joining Congress.

• View to curb anti-British movement led by intellectual and middle-class Bengalis.

• East Bengal was used to be a hide-out for revolutionaries.

• Separating East Bengal from Kolkata will wither the spirit of the anti-British movement.

SchemeUndertaken

• Bengal presidency was formed with the entire Bengal region, Assam, Orissa, Bihar and Madhya-province consisting the one-third of the total population of the sub-continent.

• According to the plan, East Bengal and Assam were included to form “East Bengal and Assam” province with a population of 31 million and Dhaka (former Dacca) as the capital .

• Bangal Presidency was made of West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa according to the scheme.

• The partition took place on 16th October, 1905 by Lord Curzon.

Political Impactof

Bengal Partition

Hindu community receiving it as a “Divide and Rule” policy of Curzon.

Muslims and low-caste Hindu communities welcoming it for its favourable impacts.

Administration’s biased behaviour provoking riots.

Special favour for Muslims in attempt to gain Muslim community’s trust and loyalty.

Hindu community leaders created a strong resistance against partition, succeeded amassing grass-root people and students.

Political Impact

Muslims aware of their political position. Progress in East Bengal created many uprising

leaders. Formation of Muslim League. Communal insurgency. Distrust and misalliance between the two

communities. The sense of separate entity led the both

communities towards India division in 1947.

Political Impact

Economic Impact of

Bengal Partition

Import business was hampered and so were the British businessmen.

Swadeshi movement helped to refuel and strengthen the local industries and businessmen resulting in self-sufficiency.

East Bengal was developing rapidly overcoming its economic weakness.

The entire Bengal became self-reliant because of Swadeshi movement and partition.

Increase of Dhaka’s profile for business purposes.

Economic Impact

Response to

Bengal Partition

Hindus dissenting the partition. Muslims appreciating partition.

What Provoked the Hindus?? • It was a plot of Curzon’s “Divide and rule” policy which

would hamper the anti-British movement led by the Bengal.

• Partition would diminish the existing unity among the Bengalis.

• Partition would curb their dominance over Muslims.• Kolkata will be severely affected through economic,

political and other opportunities.• Progress of Muslims would increase competition in the

above mentioned sectors.• Revenge against Muslim reign would be dissipated.

Provocation

Why Muslims Appreciated Partition??

• Freedom from Hindu dominance and oppression.• Economic, political, social salvation and hope of

progress.• Bengal will have better education, more employment

and political recognition.• Partition would revive the local industries and

businesses which would benefit them, the government and low-caste Hindus.

• Development of Muslims would ensure their rights and would create mutual benefits.

Approval

Swadeshi Movement (1903-1908)

Leaders of Swadeshi Movement

• Bholanath Chandra,Aurobindo Ghosh, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai are the key figures of Swadeshi Movement.

Features of Swadeshi Movement

• Duration: 1905-1908 • Protest against partition which eventually

became non-cooperation movement.• Used as the economical weapon to achieve

political interests. • Boycotted imported goods and commodities.• Massive use of local products and

commodities.• Sense of self-reliance and power to

demonstrate grievance.

Features of Swadeshi Movement

• Burning imported clothes on street bonfire.

• Picketing the foreign-goods shops specially of the Muslims.

• Zaminders and local administration warned and forced Muslims from refraining such business.

• Conflicts in later part resulting failure.• British administration handling the

situation with suppression and might.

Swadeshi Movement:All-Bengal movement

orCommunal Movement??

Swadeshi Movement as

All-Bengal Movement??

• Only the West Bengal was the centre of this movement.• Most people except high-caste Hindus of East Bengal

showed their support for partition.• Only high-caste Hindus were seen to be enthusiastic.• Muslims welcomed the partition as their road to progress.• Communal riot spread like wildfire.• Some Muslim leaders supported the movement but it lost

its appeal to them for religious reasons.

Swadeshi Movement as

Communal movement• It only represented the Hindu community’s interest from

every aspect.• To revenge upon Muslims, oath in the name of “Kaali”,

Bangkim’s Vandee Maatharam, “Go-raksha movement”, “Rakhi Bandhan” were included.

• Some Muslims participated but above mentioned plans frustrated them.

• Muslims were neither called nor persuaded to join rather were forced to join and oppressed.

• Though it started as non-communal movement, as time passed by, it became a clear portrait of communalism.

PositiveImpact

of SwadeshiMovement

• Revival of local industries and production.

• Improved economic condition in India.• Pressurized the British government to

annul the partition.• United the Hindu community against

Partition and communal conflict.• The sense of Indian nationalism,

patriotism and unity became prominent.• Enhancement in education, politics,

literature, cultural and social aspects. Impact

ExtremeMovement

Extremist Groups Abhinav Bharat: Led by V.Savarkar. Centre: Nasik.

Jugantor: Led by Jatindranath Mukherji. Centre: Bengal.

Anushilan Samity: Led by Pulin Das. Centre: Dhaka.

Others: Led by Ras Behari Bose and Sachindranath Sanyal

Mihir-o-Shudhakar

• Exercised “Yellow Journalism”.• Published fanatic and provocative news.• Revealed the notorious “Lal Ishteher” despite

political attempt to suppress its publicity.• A publication of Nawab Ali Chaudhury, a firm

believer of communalism.• Fuelling the communal conflict.• A daring newspaper defying government’s

threat.• Published a song dedicated to arrested rioters

and reprimanding “Sivaji” celebration.

ContemporaryPersonals

duringBengal Partition

Lord Curzon

Role in Partition of BengalInterested in drawing communal line.Partition was used as a weapon to

disturb the communal understanding.Fuelled the communal conflicts,

handling partially for both Muslim and Hindu communities.

Visited different areas of East Bengal to persuade the Muslims and their leaders.

Provided speeches provoking the conflicts.

Khwaja Salimullah

Role in Partition of BengalCame to politics through this partition.Welcomed the partition tactfully.Persuaded the Muslims of East Bengal to support

the partition.Tried to prevent communal riot and had a non-

provocative attitude.Extended help towards the government.Provided support and allegiance to the British.One of the leading initiators of Muslim League.

Nawab Ali Chaudhury

Role in Partition of Bengal

A leading Muslim leader of Aligarh movement.

One of the Muslim leaders who welcomed the partition.

Fanatic and extreme communalist. Provoked the Muslims towards riots

through the “Mihir-o-Sudhakar”.

Lord Minto

Role after Bengal Partition

• Showed administrative firmness.• Unmoved by Swadeshi movement and its impact.• Handled the situation tactfully.• Used might and suppression policy to stop

Swadeshi movement and extremism.

Lord Hardinge

Role in annulment of Partition• Dissolved Partition in 1911.• Reception of King George V was an influencing

factor for his decision.• Indicated a probable annulment of partition after

his succession.• Persuaded the Hindu politicians to stop their

movement and greet the King.• Transferred capital from Kolkata to Delhi for

administrative and political reasons.

Annulmentof

Bengal Partition

Reasons for annulment

• Swadeshi movement paved the way for self-reliance resulting in decrease on import.

• Decrease in using imported goods specially clothes, salt, valuables and other commodities. It killed the import market and caused huge loss for the British businessmen.

• Pressure from business people and Congress made British government void the partition.

Reasons for annulment

• King George V’s visit to Indian subcontinent. Appeasement among Indian politicians would ensure a warm welcome for King George V.

• The utter interest of British government in maintaining “Imperialism” on Indian subcontinent.

Impacts:

• Capital was transferred to New Delhi for the sake of Muslims and saving Kolkata from terrorists .

• Kolkata was made the provincial capital of Bengal.

• Decrease in Dhaka’s population and increased pressure on Kolkata.

• Assam and Orissa-Bihar were made separate provinces.

Impacts:

• Dhaka was left in an incomprehensible position.

• Establishment of University of Dhaka despite protest.

• Muslims felt deprived and became more organized.

Reasonsbehind

the Hindu community’sSuccess

Having Congress as a strong political party led by intellectual Hindu Bengalis.

Communal integrity and one goal to establish.

Abundance of strength of money, men, might and education.

Attack on their interests specially on dominance which lured them to protest.

Fear of religious assault. Success in turning the partition movement

into communal movement.

Success of Hindus

Swadeshi movement and revolution movement forced the British businessmen and others to persuade the government to annul partition.

Spreading terrorist activities through out the Bengal.

Extreme nationalism came upfront. Students and juveniles played a huge

part during the movement. Tour of King George V during 1911.

Success of Hindus

Reasonsbehind

the Muslim community’sFailure

• No strong political party for preserving Muslim community’s interest.

• Aligarh movement as the only existing representative of Muslim’s interest.

• Least numbers of powerful, liberal and educated leaders.

• Communal conflict and excessive dogmatism.

• Tolerant approach regarding anti-partition movement.

Failure of Muslims

• Integrity only in communal riot.• Scarcity of money, power, might and

education.• Uncooperative mindset with the British in

early years.• Administrative backwardness and Hindu

dominance. • Lagging behind in every aspect ultimately

resulting in shortage of grass-root leaders and unity.

• Intended communal riot which the Muslims were not prepared to face politically.Failure of Muslims

Congress• First started as the non-communal party.• United under Indian nationalism.• Received huge popularity from Hindu community

during Bengal partition.• Manipulated the communal conflicts into all-India

movement.• The role of non-communalism assuaged in the

passage of time.

Muslim League

• Established on December, 1906.• Gave full support to Bengal partition.• Retaliated anti-partition movement.• Motivated the East Bengal Muslims about the

positive impact of partition.• Disorganised and received less popularity.

British AdministrationHandling the situation

• Curbed Swadeshi movement with iron hand.• Handled the communal riot effectively on later

years.• Administration indirectly involved in provoking

riot through biased attitude.• British had hard time suppressing disorder but

succeeded lately in maintaining it.• Succeeded in arresting revolutionists.

British AdministrationHandling the situation

• Sacked Frezar for his failure to act accordingly.• Used administration power and suppression

tactics specially the student repression effectively that gave positive feedback.

• Utilized the conflict within Congress to restrain Swadeshi movement and Extreme movement.

Bengal Partition:A boon for East Bengal

ordismantling East Bengal

Dismantling East Bengal

• The main purpose of Bengal partition was to curb the anti-British movement led by Bengalis.

• Drawing a communal line would refrain Muslims from joining Congress, leading the anti-British movement.

• Provoked the communal conflicts through speech.

• Partition would enable to control the undisturbed fleeing of bandits and rebels.

Dismantling East Bengal

• British government would receive assist from Muslims.

• Dismantling Bengal would strengthen their root in this sub-continent.

• Both community will be dependent on British government for political, economical and administrative purposes.

Partition as boon• Enabled East Bengal to progress in economic,

administrative, political, educational and other opportunities.

• Made the Muslims and low-chaste Hindus aware of their rights and political position.

• Muslims received privileges in administration and politics.

• Boost in Bengali Literature through songs, novels, poems and other branches.

• East Bengal had many uprising leaders who accelerated the India Partition.

Aftermath:Bengal Partition

andAnnulment

• Increased Communal Riot.• Deprivation to Muslims.• Extreme figure of Rebellious movement.• Communal Separation and distrust.• Muslims emerging from tolerance and

silence.• Present Bangladesh was politically

deprived against the interest of India and Pakistan.

Aftermath

• Rise of Muslim League under Jinnah.• “Quit India” movement.• India partition movement proposed by

Sher-e-bangla. • India Partition in 1947 based on

communal majority.

Aftermath

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