PARTITION OF BENGAL
1. Reason:
Curzon’s imperialist policy of ‘divide and rule’ manifested itself
most glaringly in the partition pf Bengal. The reasons given were
--The area and population of the Provinces of Bengal was too large.
There was a problem of communication. Highways were not safe. The
peasants of this province were a harassed lot.
2.
But actually the cause behind the partition was much more political
than administrative. Bengal was becoming the nerve centre of
nationalist activities in India.
3. On 19 July 1905 the Government of India formally proposed the partition of Bengal. According to this proposal Chittagong, Rajshahi and Dacca were merged with Assam to form the new province.
4.
The proposed area of the new province was fixed at 1 lakh 6 thousand 5
hundred 40 square miles and its population was 3 crore 10 lakh out of
which the Muslims accounted for 1 crore 80 lakh and Hindus 1 crore 20
lakh.
5. Curzon announced the partition of Bengal on 16 October 1905.
Sir Aurobindo’s Ghosh (1872-1950) played a prominent parting the
nationalist movement of India. Particularly his contribution to the
movement against the partition of Bengal was unparalleled. Sir
Aurobindo left Baroda to work in the National College in Calcutta with a
view to make education compatible to the national needs. The National
College in Calcutta had been established on 14 August 1906. Sir
Aurobindo’s second revolutionary contribution was the editing of the
Bande Mataram paper. A series of seven articles published by Sir
Aurobindo’s, between 11 and 23 April 1907 under the heading, ‘Doctrine
of Passive Resistance’ in Bande Mataram became very popular. The
Partition of Bengal infused a sense of nationalism among the Indians
and also gave birth to the swadeshi movement which galvanized the
masses against the partition of Bengal. Since 16 October 1905, the
reactions against the partition of Bengal started taking shape. This day
was observed as a ‘Black Day’. People took holy dip in the Ganga and kept vows. They also tied Rakhi in each other’s hand as symbol of unity.(Partition of Bengal was annulled in 1911 by Lord Hardine.)
