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{{Short description|1905 territorial reorganization of the Bengal Presidency by the British Raj}} | |||
{{For|the 1947 partition|Partition of Bengal (1947)}} | {{For|the 1947 partition|Partition of Bengal (1947)}} | ||
{{EngvarB|date=October 2021}} | |||
{{EngvarB|date = | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} | ||
[[File: | [[File:Curzon’s Partition of Bengal, 1905–1912.jpg|thumb|Map showing the partition of Bengal into the province of Bengal and the province of [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]] in 1905]] | ||
[[File:Pope1880BengalPres2.jpg|thumb|Map showing the modern day nation of Bangladesh and Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Nagaland and Manipur within the Province before division into [[Bihar and Orissa]] and [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]]]] | [[File:Pope1880BengalPres2.jpg|thumb|Map showing the modern day nation of Bangladesh and Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Nagaland and Manipur within the Province before division into [[Bihar and Orissa]] and [[Eastern Bengal and Assam]]]] | ||
{{History of Bengal}}{{history of Bangladesh}} | {{History of Bengal}}{{history of Bangladesh}} | ||
The first '''Partition of Bengal''' (1905) was a territorial reorganization of the [[Bengal Presidency]] implemented by the authorities of the [[British Raj]]. The reorganization separated the largely Muslim eastern areas from the largely Hindu western areas. Announced on 19 July 1905 by [[George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston|Lord Curzon]], the then [[Governor-general of India|Viceroy of India]], and implemented on 16 October 1905, it was undone a mere six years later. | The first '''Partition of Bengal''' (1905) was a territorial reorganization of the [[Bengal Presidency]] implemented by the authorities of the [[British Raj]]. The reorganization separated the largely Muslim eastern areas from the largely Hindu western areas. Announced on 19 July 1905 by [[George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston|Lord Curzon]], the then [[Governor-general of India|Viceroy of India]], and implemented on 16 October 1905, it was undone a mere six years later. | ||
The Hindus of West Bengal complained that the division would make them a minority in a province that would incorporate the province of [[Bihar and Orissa]]. Hindus were outraged at what they saw as a "[[divide and rule]]" policy,<ref name="EB Partition"/><ref name="Chandra2009"/>{{rp|248–249}} even though Curzon stressed it would produce administrative efficiency. The partition animated the Muslims to form their own national organization along | The nationalists saw the [[Partition of India|partition]] is challenging to Indian [[nationalism]] and it was deliberate attempt to divided the [[Bengalis|Bengal]] and on religious ground, for Eastern part [[Muslims]] majority and western part for [[Hindus|Hindu]] majority.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chandra |first=Bipan |title=History of Modern India |publisher=Orient Blackswan Private Limited |year=2009 |isbn=9788125036845 |location=Delhi |pages=248–249 |language=English}}</ref> | ||
The Hindus of West Bengal complained that the division would make them a minority in a province that would incorporate the province of [[Bihar and Orissa]]. Hindus were outraged at what they saw as a "[[divide and rule]]" policy,<ref name="EB Partition"/><ref name="Chandra2009"/>{{rp|248–249}} even though Curzon stressed it would produce administrative efficiency. The partition animated the Muslims to form their own national organization along communal lines. To appease [[Bengali sentiment]], [[Bengal]] was reunited by [[Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst|Lord Hardinge]] in 1911, in response to the [[Swadeshi movement]]'s riots in protest against the policy. | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
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{{See also|Bengal Presidency#1905 Partition of Bengal}} | {{See also|Bengal Presidency#1905 Partition of Bengal}} | ||
The English-educated middle class of Bengal saw this as a vivisection of their motherland as well as a tactic to diminish their authority.<ref name="Metcalf2006" />{{rp|156}} In the six-month period before the partition was to be effected the Congress arranged meetings where petitions against the partition were collected and given to impassive authorities. [[Surendranath Banerjee]] had suggested that the non-Bengali states of Orissa and Bihar be separated from Bengal rather than dividing two parts of the [[Bengali-speaking]] community, but Lord Curzon did not agree to this.<ref>aurthor=Sachhidananda Banerjee;title=ISC History Class XI</ref>{{bsn|date=March 2021}} Banerjee admitted that the petitions were ineffective; as the date for the partition drew closer, he began advocating tougher approaches such as boycotting British goods. He preferred to label this move as ''[[Swadeshi movement|swadeshi]]'' instead of a ''[[boycott]]''.<ref name="Stein2010" />{{rp|280}} The boycott was led by the moderates but minor rebel groups also sprouted under its cause.<ref name="Metcalf2006" />{{rp|157}} | |||
Banerjee believed on that other targets ought to be included. Government schools were spurned and on 16 October 1905, the day of partition, schools and shops were blockaded. The demonstrators were cleared off by units of the police and army. This was followed by violent confrontations, due to which the older leadership in the Congress became anxious and convinced the younger Congress members to stop boycotting the schools. The president of the Congress, [[Gopal Krishna Gokhale|G.K. Gokhale]], Banerji and others stopped supporting the boycott when they found that [[John Morley]] had been appointed as Secretary of State for India. Believing that he would sympathise with the Indian middle class they trusted him and anticipated the reversal of the partition through his intervention.<ref name="Stein2010"/>{{rp|280}} | |||
Banerjee believed that other targets ought to be included. Government schools were spurned and on 16 October 1905, the day of partition, schools and shops were blockaded. The demonstrators were cleared off by units of the police and army. This was followed by violent confrontations, due to which the older leadership in the Congress became anxious and convinced the younger Congress members to stop boycotting the schools. The president of the Congress, G.K. Gokhale, Banerji and others stopped supporting the boycott when they found that John Morley had been appointed as Secretary of State for India. Believing that he would sympathise with the Indian middle class they trusted him and anticipated the reversal of the partition through his intervention.<ref name="Stein2010"/>{{rp|280}} | |||
==Political crisis== | ==Political crisis== | ||
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Nationalists all over India supported the Bengali cause, and were shocked at the British disregard for public opinion and what they perceived as a "[[divide and rule]]" policy. The protests spread to Bombay, Poona, and Punjab. Lord Curzon had believed that the Congress was no longer an effective force but provided it with a cause to rally the public around and gain fresh strength from.<ref name="Metcalf2006"/>{{rp|157}} The partition also caused embarrassment to the Indian National Congress.<ref name="Kulke"/>{{rp|289}} Gokhale had earlier met prominent British liberals, hoping to obtain constitutional reforms for India.<ref name="Kulke"/>{{rp|289–290}} The radicalization of Indian nationalism because of the partition would drastically lower the chances for the reforms. However, Gokhale successfully steered the more moderate approach in a Congress meeting and gained support for continuing talks with the government. In 1906 Gokhale again went to London to hold talks with Morley about the potential constitutional reforms. While the anticipation of the liberal nationalists increased in 1906 so did tensions in India. The moderates were challenged by the Congress meeting in Calcutta, which was in the middle of the radicalised Bengal.<ref name="Kulke"/>{{rp|290}} The moderates countered this problem by bringing [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] to the meeting. He defended the moderates in the Calcutta session and thus the unity of the Congress was maintained. The 1907 Congress was to be held at Nagpur. The moderates were worried that the extremists would dominate the Nagpur session. The venue was shifted to the extremist free [[Surat]]. The resentful extremists flocked to the Surat meeting. There was an uproar and both factions held separate meetings. The extremists had Aurobindo and Tilak as leaders. They were isolated while the Congress was under the control of the moderates. The 1908 Congress Constitution formed the All-India Congress Committee, made up of elected members. Thronging the meetings would no longer work for the extremists.<ref name="Kulke"/>{{rp|291}} | Nationalists all over India supported the Bengali cause, and were shocked at the British disregard for public opinion and what they perceived as a "[[divide and rule]]" policy. The protests spread to Bombay, Poona, and Punjab. Lord Curzon had believed that the Congress was no longer an effective force but provided it with a cause to rally the public around and gain fresh strength from.<ref name="Metcalf2006"/>{{rp|157}} The partition also caused embarrassment to the Indian National Congress.<ref name="Kulke"/>{{rp|289}} Gokhale had earlier met prominent British liberals, hoping to obtain constitutional reforms for India.<ref name="Kulke"/>{{rp|289–290}} The radicalization of Indian nationalism because of the partition would drastically lower the chances for the reforms. However, Gokhale successfully steered the more moderate approach in a Congress meeting and gained support for continuing talks with the government. In 1906 Gokhale again went to London to hold talks with Morley about the potential constitutional reforms. While the anticipation of the liberal nationalists increased in 1906 so did tensions in India. The moderates were challenged by the Congress meeting in Calcutta, which was in the middle of the radicalised Bengal.<ref name="Kulke"/>{{rp|290}} The moderates countered this problem by bringing [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] to the meeting. He defended the moderates in the Calcutta session and thus the unity of the Congress was maintained. The 1907 Congress was to be held at Nagpur. The moderates were worried that the extremists would dominate the Nagpur session. The venue was shifted to the extremist free [[Surat]]. The resentful extremists flocked to the Surat meeting. There was an uproar and both factions held separate meetings. The extremists had Aurobindo and Tilak as leaders. They were isolated while the Congress was under the control of the moderates. The 1908 Congress Constitution formed the All-India Congress Committee, made up of elected members. Thronging the meetings would no longer work for the extremists.<ref name="Kulke"/>{{rp|291}} | ||
== Response of Muslim Bengalis == | |||
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Muslim meeting 1906.jpeg|center|thumb|A mass meeting of Muslims held at Dhaka on September 4, 1906 in favour of the partition of Bengal. The photo was published in The Sphere on October 27, 1906 (Courtesy: Bangladesh on Record).]] --> | |||
When first announced in 1903, Muslim organizations [[The Moslem Chronicle|the Moslem chronicle]] and The Central National Muhamedan Association condemned the proposal. Muslim leaders [[Chowdhury Kazemuddin Ahmed Siddiky]], Delwar Hossain Ahmed and even [[Khwaja Salimullah| Nawab Khwaja Salimullah]] denounced the idea. Reasons behind their opposition included the threat of partition to Bengali solidarity as well as fear that the educational, social and other interests of East Bengal would become diminished under a chief commissioner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Partition of Bengal, 1905 - Banglapedia |url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Partition_of_Bengal,_1905 |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=en.banglapedia.org}}</ref> In 1904, Curzon took an official tour to visit the Muslim-majority districts of East Bengal to gain buy-in for the proposal. He hinted that he was considering Dacca as the new capital of East Bengal and asserted that the plan "would invest the Mohamedans in Eastern Bengal with a unity which they have not enjoyed since the old days of old Musalman viceroys and kings."<ref>Speeches by Lord Curzon of Kedleston, Vol 3, Address at Dacca, February 18, 1904 p 303, Quoted in McLane, op. cit., p 228</ref> | |||
Once the educated Muslims learned about the independence that a separate province would allow, most started supporting the partition. In 1905, The [[Mohammedan Literary Society]] published a manifesto endorsed by seven Muslim leading personalities with the urge for Muslims in East and West to support to the partition measure. The impending notion of a new province provided the oft-neglected Muslim Bengalis to raise their own voices and issues specific to their community and region. On October 16, 1905, the Mohammedan Provincial Union was founded to bring together all existing Muslim entities and groups; [[Khwaja Salimullah| Nawab Khwaja Salimullah]] was unanimously declared as the patron of this union. | |||
Although majority of the Muslims supported the partition, a few prominent Muslim spokespersons continued to be against it. [[Khwaja Atiqullah]], step-brother of [[Khwaja Salimullah|Nawab Khwaja Salimullah]] brought a resolution at the Calcutta session of the Congress (1906) denouncing the partition of Bengal. Some others included: Abdur Rasul, Khan Bahadur Muhammad Yusuf (a pleader and a member of the Management Committee of the Central National Muhamedan Association), Mujibur Rahman, Abdul Halim Ghaznavi, [[Ismail Hossain Siraji|Ismail Hossain Shiraji]], Muhammad Gholam Hossain (a writer and a promoter of Hindu-Muslim unity), Maulvi Liaqat Hussain (a liberal Muslim who vehemently opposed the 'Divide and Rule' policy of the British), Syed Hafizur Rahman Chowdhury of Bogra and Abul Kasem of Burdwan. A few Muslim preachers like Din Muhammad of Mymensingh and Abdul Gaffar of Chittagong preached Swadeshi ideas. | |||
There were few who strived to promote Hindu-Muslim solidarity; such was the position of [[A. K. Fazlul Huq|AK Fazlul Huq]] and Nibaran Chandra Das through their weekly Balaka (1901, Barisal) and monthly Bharat Suhrd (1901, Barisal). | |||
In 1906, the [[All-India Muslim League|All India Muslim League]] was founded at Dacca through the initiative of Nawab Salimullah. The traditional and reformist Muslim groups - the [[Faraizi movement|Faraizi]], Wahabi and Taiyuni - supported the partition. | |||
The Muslim-majority East Bengal had remained backward, since all educational, administrative, and professional opportunities were centered around Calcutta. The promise of a Muslim-majority East Bengal and its own capital in the region provided aspiration of opportunities unavailable in the past.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ray |first=Anil Baran |date=1977 |title=Communal Attitudes to British Policy: The Case of the Partition of Bengal 1905 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3520087 |journal=Social Scientist |volume=6 |issue=5 |pages=34–46 |doi=10.2307/3520087 |jstor=3520087 |issn=0970-0293}}</ref> | |||
As the Swadeshi movement was tired to anti-partition agenda and glorified the Hindu history of the region, many Muslims felt concerned. Eminent authors like [[Mir Mosharraf Hossain]] were sharp critics. | |||
==Reunited Bengal (1911)== | ==Reunited Bengal (1911)== | ||
The authorities, not able to end the protests, assented to reversing the partition.<ref name="Ludden2013"/>{{rp|158}} King George announced at Delhi | The authorities, not able to end the protests, assented to reversing the partition.<ref name="Ludden2013"/>{{rp|158}} [[King George V]] announced at [[Delhi Durbar]] on 12 December 1911<ref>https://ir.nbu.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/2707/13/13_chapter%201.pdf. Page-4</ref> that eastern Bengal would be assimilated into the Bengal Presidency.<ref name="Robinson1974"/>{{rp|203}} Districts where Bengali was spoken were once again unified, and Assam, Bihar and Orissa were separated. The capital was shifted to New Delhi, clearly intended to provide the British colonial government with a stronger base.<ref name="Ludden2013"/>{{rp|158}} Muslims of Bengal were shocked because they had seen the Muslim majority East Bengal as an indicator of the government's enthusiasm for protecting Muslim interests. They saw this as the government compromising Muslim interests for Hindu appeasement and administrative ease.<ref name="Robinson1974"/>{{rp|203}} | ||
The partition had not initially been supported by Muslim leaders.<ref name="Metcalf2006"/>{{rp|159}} After the Muslim majority province of Eastern Bengal and Assam had been created prominent Muslims started seeing it as advantageous. Muslims, especially in Eastern Bengal, had been backward in the period of United Bengal. The Hindu protest against the partition was seen as interference in a Muslim province.<ref name="Hardy1972"/>{{rp|151}} With the move of the capital to a Mughal site, the British tried to satisfy Bengali Muslims who were disappointed with losing hold of eastern Bengal.<ref name="EB India"/> | The partition had not initially been supported by Muslim leaders.<ref name="Metcalf2006"/>{{rp|159}} After the Muslim majority province of Eastern Bengal and Assam had been created prominent Muslims started seeing it as advantageous. Muslims, especially in Eastern Bengal, had been backward in the period of United Bengal. The Hindu protest against the partition was seen as interference in a Muslim province.<ref name="Hardy1972"/>{{rp|151}} With the move of the capital to a Mughal site, the British tried to satisfy Bengali Muslims who were disappointed with losing hold of eastern Bengal.<ref name="EB India"/> | ||
By 1911, the position of Bengali Muslims in East Bengal and Assam exhibited improvement. As opposed to one-eighth of the 1,235 higher appointments in 1901, Muslims in 1911 occupied almost one-fifth of the 2,305 gazetted appointments held by Indians.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McLane |first=John R. |date=2019-10-21 |title=The decision to partition Bengal in 1905 |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/in-focus/news/the-decision-partition-bengal-1905-1816591 |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> | |||
==Aftermath== | ==Aftermath== | ||
The uproar that had greeted Curzon's contentious move of splitting Bengal, as well as the emergence of the 'Extremist' faction in the Congress, became the final motive for separatist Muslim politics.<ref name="Talbot2009"/>{{rp|29}} In 1909, separate elections were established for Muslims and Hindus. Before this, many members of both communities had advocated national solidarity of all Bengalis. With separate electorates, distinctive political communities developed, with their own political agendas. Muslims, too, dominated the Legislature, due to their overall numerical strength of roughly twenty two to twenty eight million. Muslims began to demand the creation of independent states for Muslims, where their interests | The uproar that had greeted Curzon's contentious move of splitting Bengal, as well as the emergence of the 'Extremist' faction in the Congress, became the final motive for separatist Muslim politics.<ref name="Talbot2009"/>{{rp|29}} In 1909, separate elections were established for Muslims and Hindus. Before this, many members of both communities had advocated national solidarity of all Bengalis. With separate electorates, distinctive political communities developed, with their own political agendas. Muslims, too, dominated the Legislature, due to their overall numerical strength of roughly twenty two to twenty eight million. Muslims began to demand the creation of independent states for Muslims, where their interests would be protected.<ref name="Brown1985"/>{{rp|184, 366}} | ||
In 1947, Bengal was [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partitioned for the second time]], solely on religious grounds, as part of the [[Partition of India | In 1947, Bengal was [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partitioned for the second time]], solely on religious grounds, as part of the [[Partition of India]].<ref name="Roy2009"/> [[East Bengal]] joined with the Muslim majority provinces in the western part of India ([[Balochistan]], [[Punjab]], [[Sindh]], and the [[North-West Frontier Province]]), creating a new state of [[Pakistan]]. East Bengal, the only non-contiguous part of Pakistan, was renamed "[[East Pakistan]]" in 1955. In 1971, East Pakistan became the independent nation of [[Bangladesh]].<ref name="Brown1985"/>{{rp|366}} | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
<references> | <references> | ||
<ref name="Baxter1997">{{cite book |author=Craig Baxter |title=Bangladesh: from a nation to a state |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BjBuAAAAMAAJ |year=1997 |publisher=WestviewPress |isbn=978-0-8133-3632-9}}</ref> | <ref name="Baxter1997">{{cite book |author=Craig Baxter |author-link = Craig Baxter|title=Bangladesh: from a nation to a state |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BjBuAAAAMAAJ |year=1997 |publisher=WestviewPress |isbn=978-0-8133-3632-9}}</ref> | ||
<ref name="Brown1985">{{cite book |author=Judith M. Brown |title=Modern India |year=1985}}</ref> | <ref name="Brown1985">{{cite book |author=Judith M. Brown |title=Modern India |year=1985}}</ref> | ||
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<ref name="Robinson1974">{{cite book |author=Francis Robinson |title=Separatism Among Indian Muslims: The Politics of the United Provinces' Muslims, 1860–1923 |year=1974 |publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref> | <ref name="Robinson1974">{{cite book |author=Francis Robinson |title=Separatism Among Indian Muslims: The Politics of the United Provinces' Muslims, 1860–1923 |year=1974 |publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref> | ||
<ref name="Roy2009">{{cite journal |author=Haimanti Roy |url=http://dspace.mit.edu/openaccess-disseminate/1721.1/51358 |title=Partition of Contingency? Public Discourse in Bengal, 1946–1947 |journal=Modern Asian Studies |date=November 2009 |volume=43 |number=6 |pages=1355–1384}}</ref> | <ref name="Roy2009">{{cite journal |author=Haimanti Roy |url=http://dspace.mit.edu/openaccess-disseminate/1721.1/51358 |title=Partition of Contingency? Public Discourse in Bengal, 1946–1947 |journal=Modern Asian Studies |date=November 2009 |volume=43 |number=6 |pages=1355–1384|doi=10.1017/S0026749X08003788 |hdl=1721.1/51358 |s2cid=143499947 }}</ref> | ||
<ref name="Stein2010">{{cite book |author=Burton Stein |title=A History of India |edition=2nd |year=2010 |publisher=Wiley Blackwell}}</ref> | <ref name="Stein2010">{{cite book |author=Burton Stein |title=A History of India |edition=2nd |year=2010 |publisher=Wiley Blackwell}}</ref> | ||
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==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
* {{cite book |author=Michael Edwardes |title=High Noon of Empire: India under Curzon |year=1965}} | * {{cite book |author=Michael Edwardes |title=High Noon of Empire: India under Curzon |year=1965}} | ||
* {{cite journal |author=John R. McLane |title=The Decision to Partition Bengal in 1905 |journal=Indian Economic and Social History Review |date=July 1965 |volume=2 |number=3 |pages=221–237}} | * {{cite journal |author=John R. McLane |title=The Decision to Partition Bengal in 1905 |journal=Indian Economic and Social History Review |date=July 1965 |volume=2 |number=3 |pages=221–237|doi=10.1177/001946466400200302 |s2cid=145706327 }} | ||
* {{cite book |author=Sufia Ahmed |year=2012 |chapter=Partition of Bengal, 1905 |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Partition_of_Bengal,_1905 |editor1=[[Sirajul Islam]] |editor2=Ahmed A. Jamal |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}} | * {{cite book |author=Sufia Ahmed |year=2012 |chapter=Partition of Bengal, 1905 |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Partition_of_Bengal,_1905 |editor1=[[Sirajul Islam]] |editor2=Ahmed A. Jamal |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}} | ||
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{{West Bengal}} | {{West Bengal}} | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Bengal Presidency]] | ||
[[Category:History of East Bengal]] | |||
[[Category:History of Bengal | |||
[[Category:Partition of India]] | [[Category:Partition of India]] | ||
[[Category:Partition (politics)]] | [[Category:Partition (politics)]] | ||
[[Category:1905 in India]] | [[Category:1905 in India]] | ||