What led to the partition of Bengal in 1905?
There were many reasons which could be attributed to the partition of Bengal. The British government felt, the Bengal province consisting of Bihar, Orissa and Assam was too big to be well governed. Hence, Bengal needed to be partitioned for administrative convenience.
The unstated reason was that the British government was interested in curbing the nationalistic feeling of Indians. Bengal was the nerve centre of Indian nationalism, and the breeding ground for the revolutionaries, who had frequently attacked Britishers on numerous occasions.
Risley, Home Secretary to the Government of India, wrote in an official note on 6th December, 1904, "Bengal united is a power, Bengal divided will pull in several different ways. That is what the Congress leaders feel; their apprehensions are perfectly correct and they form one of the great merits of the scheme. One of our main objects is to split up and thereby to weaken a solid body of opponents to our rule".
Moreover, the British preferred to partition Bengal on religious line rather than linguistic basis (which would have been more logical and conducive). British felt that such partition on religious lines would further their agenda of divide and rule and emphasize the differences among the masses.
It is also important to note that Muslims living in the Eastern part of India felt highly suppressed by the Hindu Zamindars. They lagged behind in economic, political and cultural spheres. They looked inclined towards the idea of partition.
The Indian National Congress and the nationalists of Bengal firmly opposed the partition. Within Bengal , different sections of the population zamindars, merchants, lawyers, students,the city poor and even women rose up in spontaneous opposition to the partition of their province.
The nationalists saw the act of partition as a challenge to the Indian nationalism and it was not merely an administrative measure. It was a deliberate effort by the British to divide Bengalis territorially, and on the religious grounds.The Eastern Bengal would become a Muslim dominated zone, while the Hindus would occupy the west. This the British hoped, would weaken the nationalist sentiments in Bengal.
There were many reasons which could be attributed to the partition of Bengal. The British government felt, the Bengal province consisting of Bihar, Orissa and Assam was too big to be well governed. Hence, Bengal needed to be partitioned for administrative convenience.
The unstated reason was that the British government was interested in curbing the nationalistic feeling of Indians. Bengal was the nerve centre of Indian nationalism, and the breeding ground for the revolutionaries, who had frequently attacked Britishers on numerous occasions.
Risley, Home Secretary to the Government of India, wrote in an official note on 6th December, 1904, "Bengal united is a power, Bengal divided will pull in several different ways. That is what the Congress leaders feel; their apprehensions are perfectly correct and they form one of the great merits of the scheme. One of our main objects is to split up and thereby to weaken a solid body of opponents to our rule".
Moreover, the British preferred to partition Bengal on religious line rather than linguistic basis (which would have been more logical and conducive). British felt that such partition on religious lines would further their agenda of divide and rule and emphasize the differences among the masses.
It is also important to note that Muslims living in the Eastern part of India felt highly suppressed by the Hindu Zamindars. They lagged behind in economic, political and cultural spheres. They looked inclined towards the idea of partition.
The Indian National Congress and the nationalists of Bengal firmly opposed the partition. Within Bengal , different sections of the population zamindars, merchants, lawyers, students,the city poor and even women rose up in spontaneous opposition to the partition of their province.
The nationalists saw the act of partition as a challenge to the Indian nationalism and it was not merely an administrative measure. It was a deliberate effort by the British to divide Bengalis territorially, and on the religious grounds.The Eastern Bengal would become a Muslim dominated zone, while the Hindus would occupy the west. This the British hoped, would weaken the nationalist sentiments in Bengal.