History of West Bengal - Revision history

82.132.246.4: cleaned up structure based on references and added references

2026-04-25T13:25:02Z

cleaned up structure based on references and added references

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:55, 25 April 2026
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	===Independence===		===Independence===

	When [[India]] [[History of the Republic of India\|gained independence]] in 1947, [[Bengal]] was [[Partition of Bengal (1947)\|partitioned]] along religious lines. The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined [[Pakistan]] as a province called [[East Bengal]] (later renamed [[East Pakistan]], giving rise to independent [[Bangladesh]] in 1971).<ref name=parttionbanglaped>{{cite book \|last=Harun-or-Rashid \|year=2012 \|chapter=Partition of Bengal, 1947 \|chapter-url=~~http~~://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Partition_of_Bengal,_1947 \|editor1-last=Islam \|editor1-first=Sirajul \|editor1-link=Sirajul Islam \|editor2-last=Jamal \|editor2-first=Ahmed A. \|title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh \|edition=Second \|publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>		When [[India]] [[History of the Republic of India\|gained independence]] in 1947, [[Bengal]] was [[Partition of Bengal (1947)\|partitioned]] along religious lines. The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined [[Pakistan]] as a province called [[East Bengal]] (later renamed [[East Pakistan]], giving rise to independent [[Bangladesh]] in 1971).<ref name=parttionbanglaped>{{cite book \|last=Harun-or-Rashid \|year=2012 \|chapter=Partition of Bengal, 1947 \|chapter-url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Partition_of_Bengal,_1947 \|editor1-last=Islam \|editor1-first=Sirajul \|editor1-link=Sirajul Islam \|editor2-last=Jamal \|editor2-first=Ahmed A. \|title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh \|edition=Second \|publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>

	==Bidhan Chadra Roy Era (1947–1962)==		==Bidhan Chadra Roy Era (1947–1962)==
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	The massacre in [[Marichjhanpi]], which took place under CPI(M) rule in Bengal between January 26 and May 16, 1979, relates to the forcible eviction of refugees who had fled from [[East Pakistan]] thereby leading to the death of a sizable population among them.{{Citation needed\|date=June 2011}}		The massacre in [[Marichjhanpi]], which took place under CPI(M) rule in Bengal between January 26 and May 16, 1979, relates to the forcible eviction of refugees who had fled from [[East Pakistan]] thereby leading to the death of a sizable population among them.{{Citation needed\|date=June 2011}}

	{{blockquote\|Out of the 14,388 families who deserted [for West Bengal], 10,260 families returned to their previous places … and the remaining 4,128 families perished in transit, died of starvation, exhaustion, and many were killed in Kashipur, Kumirmari, and Marichjhapi by police firings (Biswas 1982, 19).<ref>{{cite web\|last=Ross \|first=Mallick\|title=The Morichjhanpi massacre: When tigers became citizens, refugees "tiger-food"\|url=~~http~~://sanhati.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/marichjhapi.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://insightyv.com/?p=879\|title=Remembering Marichjhapi Massacre, 1979\|work=insightyv.com\|access-date=16 May 2010\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707120303/http://insightyv.com/?p=879\|archive-date=7 July 2009\|df=dmy-all}}</ref>}}		{{blockquote\|Out of the 14,388 families who deserted [for West Bengal], 10,260 families returned to their previous places … and the remaining 4,128 families perished in transit, died of starvation, exhaustion, and many were killed in Kashipur, Kumirmari, and Marichjhapi by police firings (Biswas 1982, 19).<ref>{{cite web\|last=Ross \|first=Mallick\|title=The Morichjhanpi massacre: When tigers became citizens, refugees "tiger-food"\|url=https://sanhati.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/marichjhapi.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://insightyv.com/?p=879\|title=Remembering Marichjhapi Massacre, 1979\|work=insightyv.com\|access-date=16 May 2010\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707120303/http://insightyv.com/?p=879\|archive-date=7 July 2009\|df=dmy-all}}</ref>}}

	After leading the Left Front government for consecutive five terms, Jyoti Basu retired from active politics and [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]] was appointed as his successor. Five years later, the Left Front came back to the power with Bhattacharjee again assuming the office of the Chief Minister.<ref name=haunt>{{cite news\|last=Bhattacharya \|first=Snigdhendu \|title=Ghost of Marichjhapi returns to haunt \|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/Ghost-of-Marichjhapi-returns-to-haunt/AssemblyElections2011-DontMiss/SP-Article10-689463.aspx \|access-date=5 August 2013 \|newspaper=The Hindustan Times \|date=25 April 2011 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610222045/http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/Ghost-of-Marichjhapi-returns-to-haunt/AssemblyElections2011-DontMiss/SP-Article10-689463.aspx \|archive-date=10 June 2015 \|df=dmy-all }}</ref>		After leading the Left Front government for consecutive five terms, Jyoti Basu retired from active politics and [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]] was appointed as his successor. Five years later, the Left Front came back to the power with Bhattacharjee again assuming the office of the Chief Minister.<ref name=haunt>{{cite news\|last=Bhattacharya \|first=Snigdhendu \|title=Ghost of Marichjhapi returns to haunt \|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/Ghost-of-Marichjhapi-returns-to-haunt/AssemblyElections2011-DontMiss/SP-Article10-689463.aspx \|access-date=5 August 2013 \|newspaper=The Hindustan Times \|date=25 April 2011 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610222045/http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/Ghost-of-Marichjhapi-returns-to-haunt/AssemblyElections2011-DontMiss/SP-Article10-689463.aspx \|archive-date=10 June 2015 \|df=dmy-all }}</ref>
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	\|df=dmy-all		\|df=dmy-all
	}}</ref><ref name=satpmcc>{{cite web		}}</ref><ref name=satpmcc>{{cite web
	\|url=~~http~~://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/terroristoutfits/MCC.htm\|title=Maoist Communist Centre (MCC)\|access-date=2006-09-11\|work=Left-wing Extremist group\|publisher=South Asia Terrorism Portal}}</ref> while clashes with the administration have taken place at several sensitive places on the issue of industrial land acquisition.<ref name=singur1>{{cite news\|title=Several hurt in Singur clash\|url=~~http~~://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jan/28singur.htm \|work=rediff News\|publisher=Rediff.com India Limited \|date=28 January 2007 \|access-date=2007-03-15}}</ref><ref name=nandi1>{{cite news\|title=Red-hand Buddha: 14 killed in Nandigram re-entry bid\|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/frontpage/story_7519166.asp \|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121204181250/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/frontpage/story_7519166.asp \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=4 December 2012 \|publisher=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)\|The Telegraph]] \|date=15 March 2007 \|access-date=2007-03-15 }}</ref>		\|url=https://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/terroristoutfits/MCC.htm\|title=Maoist Communist Centre (MCC)\|access-date=2006-09-11\|work=Left-wing Extremist group\|publisher=South Asia Terrorism Portal}}</ref> while clashes with the administration have taken place at several sensitive places on the issue of industrial land acquisition.<ref name=singur1>{{cite news\|title=Several hurt in Singur clash\|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jan/28singur.htm \|work=rediff News\|publisher=Rediff.com India Limited \|date=28 January 2007 \|access-date=2007-03-15}}</ref><ref name=nandi1>{{cite news\|title=Red-hand Buddha: 14 killed in Nandigram re-entry bid\|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/frontpage/story_7519166.asp \|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121204181250/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/frontpage/story_7519166.asp \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=4 December 2012 \|publisher=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)\|The Telegraph]] \|date=15 March 2007 \|access-date=2007-03-15 }}</ref>

	====Nandigram violence====		====Nandigram violence====
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	{{sister project links}}		{{sister project links}}
	; Government		; Government
	* [~~http~~://www.wbgov.com/ Official website of Government of West Bengal]		* [https://www.wbgov.com/ Official website of Government of West Bengal]
	* [http://wbplan.gov.in/htm/ReportPub/WB_HandBook.pdf Statistical handbook West Bengal] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120060637/http://wbplan.gov.in/htm/ReportPub/WB_HandBook.pdf \|date=20 January 2017 }}		* [http://wbplan.gov.in/htm/ReportPub/WB_HandBook.pdf Statistical handbook West Bengal] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120060637/http://wbplan.gov.in/htm/ReportPub/WB_HandBook.pdf \|date=20 January 2017 }}
	* [http://wbic.gov.in/ West Bengal Government Information Commission]		* [http://wbic.gov.in/ West Bengal Government Information Commission]

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Ajay Kumar: Updated article

2023-08-09T09:04:46Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 14:34, 9 August 2023
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	==Prehistoric era (until c. 2000 BCE)==		==Prehistoric era (until c. 2000 BCE)==
	===Stone Age===		===Stone Age===
	Evidence of 42,000 years old human habitation has been found in the ~~region~~. These human settlements have been discovered at Kana and Mahadebbera at the foothills of the [[Ajodhya Hills]].<ref name="eisamay1">{{cite web \|author1=Gautam Basumallik \|title=৪২০০০ বছর আগে অযোধ্যা পাহাড় অঞ্চলে জনবসবাসের নিদর্শন মিলেছে \|url=https://eisamay.com/editorial/post-editorial/interview-of-bishnupriya-basak-by-goutam-basu-mallick/articleshow/46744177.cms \|website=www.eisamay.com \|publisher=Ei Samay \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|language=bn \|trans-title=42,000 years ago, evidence of human habitation has been found in the Ayodhya Hills region \|date=30 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="Mahadebbera-Kana">{{cite journal \|author1=Bishnupriya Basak \|author2=Pradeep Srivastava \|author3=Sujit Dasgupta \|author4=Anil Kumar \|author5=S. N. Rajaguru \|title=Earliest dates and implications of Microlithic industries of Late Pleistocene from Mahadebbera and Kana, Purulia district, West Bengal \|journal=CURRENT SCIENCE \|date=10 October 2014 \|volume=107 \|pages=1167-1171 \|language=en}}</ref><ref name="telegraphindia1">{{cite web \|author1=Sebanti Saarkar \|title=Bengal just got older by 22000 yrs \|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/bengal-just-got-older-by-22000-yrs/cid/1288646 \|website=www.telegraphindia.com \|publisher=The Telegraph India \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|date=21 October 2014}}</ref> [[Microlith\|Microlithic]] tools found at Kana are 42,000 years old, while microlithic tools found at Mahadevera are 34,000 to 25,000 years old.<ref name="Mahadebbera-Kana"/><ref name="telegraphindia1"/>		The time from West Bengal's first inhabitation until the the Old Stone Age, or [[Paleolithic\|Palaeolithic]] era.<ref name="timesofindia-indiatimes1">{{cite web \|author1=T S Sreenivasa Raghavan \|author2=Shilpa Krishnan \|title=Early human history dug out in WB \|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/early-human-history-dug-out-in-wb/articleshow/2949851.cms \|website=timesofindia.indiatimes.com \|publisher=The Times of India \|access-date=9 August 2023 \|location=Chennai \|date=14 April 2008}}</ref><ref name="esijournals1">{{cite journal \|author1=Gourav Debnath \|title=South Asian History, Culture and Archaeology - "The Evolution of Stone Tool Technology of Pre-Historic West Bengal: A Renewed Archaeological Approach" \|journal=ESI Journals \|date=2022 \|volume=2 \|pages=55-67 \|url=https://www.esijournals.com/image/catalog/Journal%20Paper/SAHCA/2022/No%201%20%282022%29/5_Gourav%20Debnath.pdf \|access-date=9 August 2023 \|publisher=ESI Publications}}</ref><ref name="banglapedia1">{{cite web \|title=Agricultural Communities, Early Period \|url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Agricultural_Communities,_Early_Period \|website=en.banglapedia.org \|access-date=9 August 2023}}</ref> Palaeolithic sites are mostly found in the [[Gandheswari River\|upper Gandeshwari]], Middle [[Dwarakeswar River\|Dwarakeswar]], Upper [[Kangsabati River\|Kangsabati]], Upper Tarafeni and Middle [[Subarnarekha River\|Subarnarekha]] valleys between 87°10' E and 22°30' N - 23°30' N. Evidence of 42,000 years old human habitation has been found in [[West Bengal]].<ref name="esijournals1"/> The extensive forest-covered high land and moderate rainfall of the southwestern part of West Bengal provided ideal conditions for the growth and development of the Paleolithic culture. These human settlements have been discovered at Kana and Mahadebbera at the foothills of the [[Ajodhya Hills]].<ref name="eisamay1">{{cite web \|author1=Gautam Basumallik \|title=৪২০০০ বছর আগে অযোধ্যা পাহাড় অঞ্চলে জনবসবাসের নিদর্শন মিলেছে \|url=https://eisamay.com/editorial/post-editorial/interview-of-bishnupriya-basak-by-goutam-basu-mallick/articleshow/46744177.cms \|website=www.eisamay.com \|publisher=Ei Samay \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|language=bn \|trans-title=42,000 years ago, evidence of human habitation has been found in the Ayodhya Hills region \|date=30 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="Mahadebbera-Kana">{{cite journal \|author1=Bishnupriya Basak \|author2=Pradeep Srivastava \|author3=Sujit Dasgupta \|author4=Anil Kumar \|author5=S. N. Rajaguru \|title=Earliest dates and implications of Microlithic industries of Late Pleistocene from Mahadebbera and Kana, Purulia district, West Bengal \|journal=CURRENT SCIENCE \|date=10 October 2014 \|volume=107 \|pages=1167-1171 \|language=en}}</ref><ref name="telegraphindia1">{{cite web \|author1=Sebanti Saarkar \|title=Bengal just got older by 22000 yrs \|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/bengal-just-got-older-by-22000-yrs/cid/1288646 \|website=www.telegraphindia.com \|publisher=The Telegraph India \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|date=21 October 2014}}</ref> [[Microlith\|Microlithic]] tools found at Kana are 42,000 years old, while microlithic tools found at Mahadevera are 34,000 to 25,000 years old.<ref name="Mahadebbera-Kana"/><ref name="telegraphindia1"/> Hatpara on the west bank of [[Hooghly River\|Bhagirathi River]] has evidence of human settlements dating back to around 15,000-20,000 years.<ref name="telegraphindia2">{{cite web \|author1=Sebanti Sarkar \|title=History of Bengal just got a lot older \|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/history-of-bengal-just-got-a-lot-older/cid/603572 \|website=www.telegraphindia.com \|publisher=The Telegraph India \|access-date=9 August 2023 \|date=27 March 2008}}</ref> About 200 small stone weapons<ref name="telegraphindia2"/> have been found here. Grains and fish bones were also found here. According to archaeologists, the prehistoric civilization of Hatpara was spread along the banks of the Bhagirathi from Ganakar to Mahipala. Fish was a common part of the human diet of the time, and coppery color of the fish bones found at the site indicates that the Burnt fish was eaten.<ref name="anandabazar1">{{cite web \|author1=Biman Hazra \|title=মাছের হাড়, শস্যের দানা মেলে হাটপাড়ায় \|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/nadia-murshidabad/ancient-civilization-of-hatpara-1.1224917 \|website=www.anandabazar.com \|publisher=Anandabazar Patrika \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|location=Sagradighi \|language=bn \|trans-title=Fish bones, and grains of crop are found in Hatpara \|date=6 November 2020}}</ref>

	~~Hatpara on~~ the ~~west bank~~ of ~~[[Hooghly River\|Bhagirathi River]] has evidence~~ of ~~human settlements dating back to around 15~~,~~000-20~~,~~000 years~~. ~~About 200 small stone weapons have been found here~~. ~~Grains~~ and ~~fish bones were also found here~~. ~~According to archaeologists, the prehistoric civilization of Hatpara was spread along the banks of the Bhagirathi~~ from ~~Ganakar to Mahipala. Fish was a common part of~~ the ~~human diet of the time~~, and ~~coppery color of the fish bones found at the site indicates that the Burnt fish was eaten~~.<ref name="~~anandabazar1~~">{{cite ~~web~~ \|author1=~~Biman Hazra~~ \|title=~~মাছের হাড়, শস্যের দানা মেলে হাটপাড়ায়~~ \|url=https://~~www~~.~~anandabazar~~.~~com~~/west-bengal~~/nadia~~-~~murshidabad/ancient~~-~~civilization~~-of-~~hatpara~~-1.~~1224917 \|website=www.anandabazar.com \|publisher=Anandabazar Patrika~~ \|access-date=8 August 2023 ~~\|location=Sagradighi \|language=bn \|trans-title=Fish bones, and grains of crop are found in Hatpara \|date=6 November 2020~~}}</ref>		The western plateau and delta region or the present flood plain area are the two biological regions of West Bengal where Mesolithic sites identified. The microlithic industry of West Bengal was mostly a non-geometric industry. Blades, points, scrapers, lunettes, burins, borers, flakes, and cores are the most common tools used throughout this period. Evidence from this period is scarce.<ref name="esijournals1"/><ref name="timesofindia-indiatimes1"/>

			The Neolithic culture took place in five major river valleys, namely Ajay-Mayurakshi river valley, Dwarakeswar-Damodar river valley, Gandeshwari river valley, Tarafeni river valley and Subarnarekha river valley. Also a Neolithic culture developed in Kalimpong. The main tool types recovered from the site include celts (both axes and adzes), wedges, chisels, perforated tools and pounders, along with microliths and bone tools.<ref name="Neolithic1">{{cite book \|author1=Asok Datta \|title=Neolithic Culture in West Benga \|date=1992 \|publisher=Agam Kala Prakashan \|location=Delhi \|url=https://ia802304.us.archive.org/26/items/neolithic-culture-in-west-bengal-with-special-reference-to-south-and-south-east-asia/Asok%20Datta%20-%20Neolithic%20Culture%20in%20West%20Bengal-Agam%20Kala%20Prakashan%20(1992)(1)%20(1).pdf \|access-date=9 August 2023}}</ref><ref name="esijournals1"/>

	==See also==		==See also==

Ajay Kumar: Updated article

2023-08-09T06:22:43Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 11:52, 9 August 2023
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	==Prehistoric era (until c. 2000 BCE)==		==Prehistoric era (until c. 2000 BCE)==
	===~~Paleolithic~~===		===Stone Age===
	Evidence of 42,000 years old human habitation has been found in the region. These human settlements have been discovered at Kana and Mahadebbera at the foothills of the [[Ajodhya Hills]].<ref name="eisamay1">{{cite web \|author1=Gautam Basumallik \|title=৪২০০০ বছর আগে অযোধ্যা পাহাড় অঞ্চলে জনবসবাসের নিদর্শন মিলেছে \|url=https://eisamay.com/editorial/post-editorial/interview-of-bishnupriya-basak-by-goutam-basu-mallick/articleshow/46744177.cms \|website=www.eisamay.com \|publisher=Ei Samay \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|language=bn \|trans-title=42,000 years ago, evidence of human habitation has been found in the Ayodhya Hills region \|date=30 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="Mahadebbera-Kana">{{cite journal \|author1=Bishnupriya Basak \|author2=Pradeep Srivastava \|author3=Sujit Dasgupta \|author4=Anil Kumar \|author5=S. N. Rajaguru \|title=Earliest dates and implications of Microlithic industries of Late Pleistocene from Mahadebbera and Kana, Purulia district, West Bengal \|journal=CURRENT SCIENCE \|date=10 October 2014 \|volume=107 \|pages=1167-1171 \|language=en}}</ref><ref name="telegraphindia1">{{cite web \|author1=Sebanti Saarkar \|title=Bengal just got older by 22000 yrs \|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/bengal-just-got-older-by-22000-yrs/cid/1288646 \|website=www.telegraphindia.com \|publisher=The Telegraph India \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|date=21 October 2014}}</ref> [[Microlith\|Microlithic]] tools found at Kana are 42,000 years old, while microlithic tools found at Mahadevera are 34,000 to 25,000 years old.<ref name="Mahadebbera-Kana"/><ref name="telegraphindia1"/>		Evidence of 42,000 years old human habitation has been found in the region. These human settlements have been discovered at Kana and Mahadebbera at the foothills of the [[Ajodhya Hills]].<ref name="eisamay1">{{cite web \|author1=Gautam Basumallik \|title=৪২০০০ বছর আগে অযোধ্যা পাহাড় অঞ্চলে জনবসবাসের নিদর্শন মিলেছে \|url=https://eisamay.com/editorial/post-editorial/interview-of-bishnupriya-basak-by-goutam-basu-mallick/articleshow/46744177.cms \|website=www.eisamay.com \|publisher=Ei Samay \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|language=bn \|trans-title=42,000 years ago, evidence of human habitation has been found in the Ayodhya Hills region \|date=30 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="Mahadebbera-Kana">{{cite journal \|author1=Bishnupriya Basak \|author2=Pradeep Srivastava \|author3=Sujit Dasgupta \|author4=Anil Kumar \|author5=S. N. Rajaguru \|title=Earliest dates and implications of Microlithic industries of Late Pleistocene from Mahadebbera and Kana, Purulia district, West Bengal \|journal=CURRENT SCIENCE \|date=10 October 2014 \|volume=107 \|pages=1167-1171 \|language=en}}</ref><ref name="telegraphindia1">{{cite web \|author1=Sebanti Saarkar \|title=Bengal just got older by 22000 yrs \|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/bengal-just-got-older-by-22000-yrs/cid/1288646 \|website=www.telegraphindia.com \|publisher=The Telegraph India \|access-date=8 August 2023 \|date=21 October 2014}}</ref> [[Microlith\|Microlithic]] tools found at Kana are 42,000 years old, while microlithic tools found at Mahadevera are 34,000 to 25,000 years old.<ref name="Mahadebbera-Kana"/><ref name="telegraphindia1"/>

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	{{see also\|List of Chief Ministers of West Bengal}}		{{see also\|List of Chief Ministers of West Bengal}}
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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2015}}{{History of Bengal\|Indian Bengal}}{{Bengalis}}The '''history of West Bengal''' began in 1947, when the [[Hindu]]-dominated western part of British [[Bengal Presidency\|Bengal Province]] became the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]].		{{Use dmy dates\|date=June 2015}}{{History of Bengal\|Indian Bengal}}{{Bengalis}}The '''history of West Bengal''' began in 1947, when the [[Hindu]]-dominated western part of British [[Bengal Presidency\|Bengal Province]] became the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]].

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{{see also|List of Chief Ministers of West Bengal}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}{{History of Bengal|Indian Bengal}}{{Bengalis}}The '''history of West Bengal''' began in 1947, when the [[Hindu]]-dominated western part of British [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal Province]] became the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]].

When [[India]] [[History of the Republic of India|gained independence]] in 1947, [[Bengal]] was [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partitioned]] along religious lines. The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined [[Pakistan]] as a province called [[East Bengal]] (later renamed [[East Pakistan]], giving rise to independent [[Bangladesh]] in 1971).<ref name=parttionbanglaped>{{cite book |last=Harun-or-Rashid |year=2012 |chapter=Partition of Bengal, 1947 |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Partition_of_Bengal,_1947 |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>

==Bidhan Chadra Roy Era (1947–1962)==

===Princely state merge with West Bengal===
In 1950, the Princely State of [[Koch dynasty|Koch Bihar]] merged with West Bengal after King Jagaddipendra Narayan had signed the Instrument of Accession with India.<ref>Dr. Sailen Debnath, ed. Social and Political Tensions In North Bengal since 1947, {{ISBN|81-86860-23-1}}.</ref> In 1955, the former [[French India|French enclave]] of [[Chandannagar]], which had passed into Indian control after 1950, was integrated into West Bengal. Portions of [[Bihar]] were subsequently merged with West Bengal.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

During Roy's Chief Minister-ship very few manufacturing industries were set up in the state. In 1954, when Dr. B. C. Roy was the Congress chief minister, a massive food crisis overtook the state. There was a near-famine condition in Bengal.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

==United Front (1967)==
{{see also|United Front (1967)}}

===1967 General Election===

After the state legislative elections held in 1967, the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]] was the main force behind the [[United Front (1967)|United Front]] government formed. The Chief Ministership was given to [[Ajoy Mukherjee]] of the [[Bangla Congress]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

===Naxalbari uprising===
{{main|Naxalite}}
In 1967 a peasant uprising broke out in [[Naxalbari]], in northern West Bengal. The insurgency was led by hardline district-level CPI(M) leaders [[Charu Majumdar]] and [[Kanu Sanyal]]. The Naxalbari movement was violently repressed by the West Bengal government. During the 1970s and 1980s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent [[Naxalite|Marxist-Naxalite]] movement damaged much of the state's infrastructure, leading to a period of economic stagnation.

The [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] of 1971 resulted in the influx of millions of refugees to West Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure.<ref name="londonanthology">{{Harv|Bennett|Hindle|1996|pp=63–70}}</ref> The [[1974 smallpox epidemic of India|1974 smallpox epidemic]] killed thousands. West Bengal politics underwent a major change when the [[Left Front (West Bengal)|Left Front]] won the 1977 assembly election, defeating the incumbent [[Indian National Congress]]. The Left Front, led by [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], has governed for the state for the subsequent three decades.<ref name=longcommu>{{cite news|first = Soutik |last = Biswas |title=Calcutta's colourless campaign|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4909832.stm |publisher=[[BBC]]|date=2006-04-16 |access-date=2006-08-26}}</ref>

===Dismissal of United Front government===
In November 1967, the West Bengal United Front government was dismissed by the central government. Initially the Indian National Congress formed a minority government led by [[Prafulla Chandra Ghosh]], but that cabinet did not last long. Following the proclamation that the United Front government had been dislodged, a 48-hour hartal was effective throughout the state. After the fall of the Ghosh cabinet, the state was put under President's Rule.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

===1969 Assembly election===
Fresh elections were held in West Bengal in 1969. CPI(M) emerged as the largest party in the West Bengal legislative assembly.<ref>Indian National Congress had won 55 seats, Bangla Congress 33 and CPI 30. CPI(M) allies also won several seats.[http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/SE_1969/StatReport_WB_69.pdf ECI: Statistical Report on the 1969 West Bengal Legislative Election] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071129141351/http://www.eci.gov.in/StatisticalReports/SE_1969/StatReport_WB_69.pdf |date=29 November 2007 }}</ref> But with the active support of CPI and the Bangla Congress, Ajoy Mukherjee was returned as Chief Minister of the state. Mukherjee resigned on March 16, 1970 and the state was put under President's Rule.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

==Shiddharthrasankar Ray Era (1972–1977)==
Indian National Congress the 1972 assembly election, and its leader [[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]] became the chief minister. During this period, the then Prime Minister of India, [[Indira Gandhi]] proclaimed nationwide [[The Emergency (India)|Emergency in 1975]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

This period was marked by large scale violence as the police force battled with the naxalites and ultimately crushed the movement in the state{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}.

==Left Front era==

===Jyoti Basu (1977–2000)===

====1977 Election====
In the 1977 election of the state legislature, the [[Left Front (West Bengal)|Left Front]], headed by [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], won 243 seats thereby gaining a majority. The first Left Front government was established with [[Jyoti Basu]] as the Chief Minister.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

=====Marichjhanpi Massacre, 1979=====
The massacre in [[Marichjhanpi]], which took place under CPI(M) rule in Bengal between January 26 and May 16, 1979, relates to the forcible eviction of refugees who had fled from [[East Pakistan]] thereby leading to the death of a sizable population among them.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

{{quote|Out of the 14,388 families who deserted [for West Bengal], 10,260 families returned to their previous places … and the remaining 4,128 families perished in transit, died of starvation, exhaustion, and many were killed in Kashipur, Kumirmari, and Marichjhapi by police firings (Biswas 1982, 19).<ref>{{cite web|last=Ross |first=Mallick|title=The Morichjhanpi massacre: When tigers became citizens, refugees "tiger-food"|url=http://sanhati.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/marichjhapi.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://insightyv.com/?p=879|title=Remembering Marichjhapi Massacre, 1979|work=insightyv.com|access-date=16 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707120303/http://insightyv.com/?p=879|archive-date=7 July 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref>}}

After leading the Left Front government for consecutive five terms, Jyoti Basu retired from active politics and [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]] was appointed as his successor. Five years later, the Left Front came back to the power with Bhattacharjee again assuming the office of the Chief Minister.<ref name=haunt>{{cite news|last=Bhattacharya |first=Snigdhendu |title=Ghost of Marichjhapi returns to haunt |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/Ghost-of-Marichjhapi-returns-to-haunt/AssemblyElections2011-DontMiss/SP-Article10-689463.aspx |access-date=5 August 2013 |newspaper=The Hindustan Times |date=25 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610222045/http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/Ghost-of-Marichjhapi-returns-to-haunt/AssemblyElections2011-DontMiss/SP-Article10-689463.aspx |archive-date=10 June 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

===Budhdhadev Bhattacharya (2000–2011)===
The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after [[economic reforms in India]] were introduced in the early 1990s by the [[Government of India|central government]], aided by election of a new reformist [[Chief Minister]] [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharya]] in 2000. As of 2007, armed activists have been organizing terrorist attacks in some parts of the state,<ref name=voamaoist>{{cite web
|url=http://www.voanews.com/bangla/archive/2005-07/2005-07-22-voa10.cfm
|title=Maoist on Rise in West Bengal
|access-date=2006-09-11
|last=Ghosh Roy
|first=Paramasish
|date=2005-07-22
|work=VOA Bangla
|publisher=[[Voice of America]]
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212062125/http://www.voanews.com/bangla/archive/2005-07/2005-07-22-voa10.cfm
|archive-date=12 December 2007
|df=dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name=satpmcc>{{cite web
|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/terroristoutfits/MCC.htm|title=Maoist Communist Centre (MCC)|access-date=2006-09-11|work=Left-wing Extremist group|publisher=South Asia Terrorism Portal}}</ref> while clashes with the administration have taken place at several sensitive places on the issue of industrial land acquisition.<ref name=singur1>{{cite news|title=Several hurt in Singur clash|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jan/28singur.htm |work=rediff News|publisher=Rediff.com India Limited |date=28 January 2007 |access-date=2007-03-15}}</ref><ref name=nandi1>{{cite news|title=Red-hand Buddha: 14 killed in Nandigram re-entry bid|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/frontpage/story_7519166.asp |publisher=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]] |date=15 March 2007 |access-date=2007-03-15 }}</ref>

====Nandigram violence====
{{main|Nandigram violence}}
The [[Nandigram violence]] was an incident in [[Nandigram]], [[West Bengal]] where, on the orders of the Left Front government, more than 4,000 heavily armed police stormed the Nandigram area with the aim of stamping out protests against the West Bengal government's plans to expropriate {{convert|10000|acre|km2}} of land for a [[Special Economic Zone]] (SEZ) to be developed by the Indonesian-based Salim Group. The police shot dead at least 14 villagers and wounded 70 more.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

The SEZ controversy started when the government of West Bengal decided that the [[Salim Group]] of Indonesia<ref>For more information on the Salim Group please see [[Sudono Salim]]</ref><ref>[http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/97/0822/biz1.html Asia Week]</ref><ref>[http://www.saliltripathi.com/articlesReview/8Oct98Review.html Far Easter Economic Review October 1998]</ref> would set up a [[Chemical industry|chemical hub]] under the SEZ policy at Nandigram, a rural area in the district of [[Midnapore East|Purba Medinipur]]. The villagers took over the administration of the area and all the roads to the villages were cut off. A front-page story in the [[Kolkata]] newspaper, ''[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]]'', on 4 January 2007 was headlined, "False alarm sparks clash". According to the newspaper that village council meeting at which the alleged land seizure was to be announced was actually a meeting to declare Nandigram a "clean village", that is, a village in which all the households had access to toilet facilities.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

==Trinamool Congress era==
In the [[2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election]], Left Front was defeated and [[Trinamool Congress]] won an [[absolute majority]] of seats. [[Mamata Banerjee]], the leader of Trinamool Congress, became the chief minister. The success of Trinamool Congress was repeated in the 2013 [[Panchayati raj|Panchayat]] election (local government elections in rural areas, and some urban municipalities) and the [[2014 Indian general election]] (in which Trinamool won 34 of 42 [[Lok Sabha]] constituencies in the state).

==Notes==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{sisterlinks}}
; Government
* [http://www.wbgov.com/ Official website of Government of West Bengal]
* [http://wbplan.gov.in/htm/ReportPub/WB_HandBook.pdf Statistical handbook West Bengal]
* [http://wbic.gov.in/ West Bengal Government Information Commission]
* [http://web.cmc.net.in/wbcensus/home.asp Directorate of Census Operations] of West Bengal
; Other
* {{wikivoyage-inline|West Bengal}}
* {{dmoz|Regional/Asia/India/West Bengal|West Bengal}}*
* [http://hdl.handle.net/10622/COLL00190 West-Bengal Refugees and Political Activists Oral History Collection] at the [[International Institute of Social History]] — Interviews with Bengali refugees and political activists, covering the period 1947-1970

{{History of India by State}}
{{West Bengal Chief Ministers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:History Of West Bengal}}
[[Category:History of West Bengal| ]]
[[Category:History of Bengal]]