Difference between revisions of "Partition of Bengal (1905)" - New World Encyclopedia
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| − | Partition took place in | + | Partition took place October, 1905. It resulted in a huge [[politics|political]] crisis. The Muslims in [[East Bengal]] after initial opposition tended to be much more positive about the arrangement, believing that a separate region would give them more opportunity for education, employment etc. However, partition was especially unpopular by the people of what had become West Bengal, where a huge amount of nationalist literature was created during this period. Opposition by [[Indian National Congress]] was led by [[Sir Henry Cotton]] who had been Chief Commissioner of Assam, but Curzon was not to be moved. Support came from throughout India, where the partition of an historic province was regarded as an act of [[colonialism|colonial]] arrogance and the result of the divide and rule policy.<ref> "Calcutta", says Metcalf, "came alive with rallies, bonfires of foreign goods, petitions, newspapers and posters." Anti-British and pro-self-rule sentiment increased.<ref>Metcalf, page 155.</ref> Later, Cotton, now [[Liberal]] MP for [[Nottingham East]] coordinated the successful campaign to oust the first lieutenant-governor of East Bengal, Sir [[Bampfylde Fuller]]. In 1906, [[Rabindranath Tagore]] wrote [[Amar Shonar Bangla]] as a rallying cry for proponents of annulment of Partition, which, much later, in 1972, became the [[national anthem]] of [[Bangladesh]]. |
Due to these political protests, the two parts of Bengal were reunited in 1911. A new partition which divided the province on linguistic, rather than religious, grounds followed, with the Hindi, Oriya and Assamese areas separated to form separate administrative units. The administrative capital of [[British India]] was moved from [[Kolkata]] to [[New Delhi]] as well. | Due to these political protests, the two parts of Bengal were reunited in 1911. A new partition which divided the province on linguistic, rather than religious, grounds followed, with the Hindi, Oriya and Assamese areas separated to form separate administrative units. The administrative capital of [[British India]] was moved from [[Kolkata]] to [[New Delhi]] as well. | ||
Revision as of 20:35, 13 November 2008
- For the 1947 parition, see 1947 Partition of Bengal
The Partition of Bengal in 1905, was made on 16 October by then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. Due to the high level of political unrest generated by the partition, the eastern and western parts of Bengal were reunited in 1911.
the project of geography and history
Reason for Partition
Partitioning Bengal was first considered in 1903. There were also additional proposals to separate Chittagong and the districts of Dhaka and Mymensingh from Bengal and attaching them to the province of Assam. Similarly incorporating Chhota Nagpur with the central provinces.
The government officially published the idea in January 1904, and in February, Lord Curzon made an official tour to eastern districts of Bengal to assess public opinion on the partition. He consulted with leading personalities and delivered speeches at Dhaka, Chittagong and Mymensingh explaining the government's stand on partition. Curzon explained the reason for partition as an administrative improvement; "under the British the province of Bengal was as large as France, with a population of seventy-eight and a half million, nearly as populous as contemporary France and Great Britain combined." The province included Bihar and Orissa" and the eastern "region was notoriously under-governed." According to Hardy, Curzon did not intend to divide Hindus, who were the majority in the West, from Muslims, the majority in the East but "only Bengalis".[1] The plans was to unite the eastern region with Assam (which had been part of Bengal until 1874) to form a "new province with a population of thirty-one millions, of whom 59 percent would be Muslims."[2] The plan also involved Bengal ceding also ceding its five Hindi-speaking states to the Central Provinces. It return, it would receive on the western side Sambalpur and five minor Oriya- speaking states from the Central Provinces. Bengal would be left with an area of 141,580 sq. miles and population of 54 million, of which 42 million would be Hindus and 9 million Muslims. However, Bengali speaking would be a minority in the West "in relation to Biharis and Oriyas"[3] Administration would consist of a Legislative Council, a Board of Revenue of two members, and the jurisdiction of the Calcutta High Court would be left undisturbed. The government pointed out that Eastern Bengal and Assam would have a clearly demarcated western boundary and well defined geographical, ethnological, linguistic and social characteristics. The government of India promulgated their final decision in a resolution dated July 19, 1905 and the partition of Bengal was effected on October 16 of same year.
Reaction to the Plan
As details of the plan became public knowledge, prominent Bengalis began a series of demonstrations against partition and a boycott of British products. While protest was mainly from Hindus the Muslims nawab of Dhakha was als initially opposed to the plan, even though Dhakha would serve as capital of the new province. Bengalis regarded themselves as a nation and did not want to be a linguistic minority in their own province. Baxter suggests that the "divide and rule" policy was the real reason for partition. Lord Curzon said, "Bengal united is a power; Bengali divided will pull in several different ways."[4] Bengalis were the first to benefit from English education in India and as an intellectual class were disproportionately represented in the Civil Service, which was, of course, dominated by colonial officials. They were also in the forefront of calls for greater participation in governance. By splitting Benagli, their influence would be weakened. Indeed, many of those Hindus who were considered "unfriendly if not seditious in character" lived in the east" who dominated "the whole tone of Bengal administration" where under the plan, Muslims would form the majority[5] At the same time, the Muslims of Bengal were considered loyal to the British since they had not joined the anti-British rebellion of 1857-8, so they would be rewarded.
Partition
Partition took place October, 1905. It resulted in a huge political crisis. The Muslims in East Bengal after initial opposition tended to be much more positive about the arrangement, believing that a separate region would give them more opportunity for education, employment etc. However, partition was especially unpopular by the people of what had become West Bengal, where a huge amount of nationalist literature was created during this period. Opposition by Indian National Congress was led by Sir Henry Cotton who had been Chief Commissioner of Assam, but Curzon was not to be moved. Support came from throughout India, where the partition of an historic province was regarded as an act of colonial arrogance and the result of the divide and rule policy.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag Later, Cotton, now Liberal MP for Nottingham East coordinated the successful campaign to oust the first lieutenant-governor of East Bengal, Sir Bampfylde Fuller. In 1906, Rabindranath Tagore wrote Amar Shonar Bangla as a rallying cry for proponents of annulment of Partition, which, much later, in 1972, became the national anthem of Bangladesh.
Due to these political protests, the two parts of Bengal were reunited in 1911. A new partition which divided the province on linguistic, rather than religious, grounds followed, with the Hindi, Oriya and Assamese areas separated to form separate administrative units. The administrative capital of British India was moved from Kolkata to New Delhi as well.
However, conflict between Muslims and Hindus resulted in new laws having to be introduced so as to satisfy the political needs of both groups.
See also
- Bangladesh
- West Bengal
- Banglapedia Article on Partition of Bengal
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Baxter, Craig. 1997. Bangladesh: from a nation to a state. Nations of the modern world. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press. ISBN 9780813328546
- Bukowski, Jeanie J., and Swarna Rajagopalan. 2000. Re-distribution of authority: a cross-regional perspective. Westport, Conn: Praeger. ISBN 9780275963774
- Ghosha, Nityapriẏa, and Aśokakumāra Mukhopādhyāẏa. 2005. Partition of Bengal: significant
signposts, 1905-1911. Kolkata: Sahitya Samsad. ISBN 9788179550656
- Hardy, Peter. 1972. The Muslims of British India. London: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521084888
- Islam, Sirajul, and Harun-or-Rashid. 1992. History of Bangladesh, 1704-1971. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 9789845123372
- Saxena, Vinod Kumar. 1987. The Partition of Bengal, 1905-1911: select documents. Delhi: Kanishka Pub. House.
bn:বঙ্গভঙ্গ (১৯০৫) ja:ベンガル分割令 ur:تقسیم بنگال zh:孟加拉分治 (1905年)
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