Chapter 6 - Pakistan Movement in the Early 20th Century  

Partition Of Bengal

  • Bengal was %%one of the largest provinces of British India%% with a huge population of more %%80 million%% spread over a small area.
      * It was increasingly becoming %%difficult to administer%% such a big and densely populated province by a single a governor.
      * Administrative difficulties included, %%collection of revenue / taxes, providing relief and rehabilitation to a population repeatedly hit by cyclones and floods, controlling the law and order situation that was gradually deteriorating.%%
      * Since there had been earlier examples of dividing huge territories like Khandesh and Narbada, the British began %%to consider partitioning Bengal into two provinces.%%
      * So in %%1903%%, %%Viceroy Lord Curzon%% proposed partition of Bengal into two provinces.

  • The British were also closely observing the %%growing disparity between the Hindus and the Muslims.%%
      * Hindus dominated the politics and economy of Bengal while keeping Muslims underdeveloped and poor.
      * The period %%1900-1911%% was a %%period of improved British – Muslim relations.%%
        * Perhaps British wanted to give Muslims an opportunity to prosper in the newly created province of %%East Bengal with Assam and three districts Dhaka, Chittagong and Mymensingh%% where they would be in a majority and hence would be able to farm their own government (which exactly happened).
        * The other part, %%West Bengal, remained a Hindu majority province.%%
        * Muslims now began to develop a %%new seaport at Chittagong.%%

  * Finally the British were also mindful of the INC demand of self ruled in the 1890s.
    * For example, INC leaders like %%Mr. Bal Ganga Dhar Tilak%% used to deliver impassioned and provoking speeches to incite the people for %%pressurizing the government for self rule.%%
    * Such %%leaders were arrested%% and British decided to distract the INC attention from its demand for self rule.
    * Thus when Lord Curzon in October 1905 announced the partition of Bengal, the INC guns were directed against the partition instead of demand for self rule.

Congress Reaction To Partition

  • The INC did not like the partition and opposed it fiercely.
      * For the INC, it was yet another example of the old British policy of “%%divide and rule%%”.
      * By doing so the British were %%strengthening their grip on the Indian political affairs%% while dividing the two major communities, Hindus and Muslims.
      * The British power lay in the communal differences of India.

  * The INC also viewed the partitioned as a step against the %%Indian nationalism.%%
    * It believed that all people living in India were primarily Indians regardless of the cultural and religious differences and identities.
    * So, all communities living in Bengal were equally Indians whether they were Hindus or Muslims.
    * It viewed the whole country as “mother India” and therefore, condemned the partition of Bengal as a kind of vivisection of their motherland.
    * It declared %%16th Oct 1905 as a day of mourning.%%

  * The Hindu dominated INC was also unhappy over the loss of monopoly over the economy and politics of Bengal.
    * In East Bengal, Muslims were a decisive majority and had formed their own government.
    * Therefore, their economic condition began to improve.
    * They decided to develop the %%Chittagong port%% in order to compete with the %%Calcutta por%%t of West Bengal.
    * All this scenario was worrying for the INC who launched an aggressive campaign against the British.