Partition Of Bengal 1905 — Background, Fallout, Impact and Annulment

Partition of Bengal 1905 — Background

Partition of Bengal 1905 done by Lord Curzon was basically territorial reorganization of the Bengal Presidency which over the past decades had grown enormously large with increasing conquests of Indian territories by the British. The decision of Partition of Bengal by the British authorities was a taken for three specific reasons:

• Bengal being the largest province and with a population of 78 million had become administratively unwieldy.
• Calcutta was to be dethroned as the nerve center of politics of the nationalists.
• Indians were to be divided by the name of religion as activities of Congress had intensified over the years.

We shall further probe these three reasons that were instrumental in the decision of Partition of Bengal.

Explanations of Partition of Bengal Reasons

After the victory in the Battle of Plassey, Bengal came under the control of the British. Since then further expansions happened in the adjoining areas and they all were included in Bengal. The result was that Bengal expanded and remained so for decades creating administrative difficulties owing to its large size and population. The eastern areas were getting neglected.

According to many historians the real motive of partition was political rather than administrative. Indian nationalism was gaining momentum and strength and the partition was expected to weaken it. In the words of Lord Curzon the Viceroy, “to dethrone Calcutta from its center from which the Congress Party is manipulated throughout Bengal and indeed the whole of India”. Similar thoughts were also echoed by Risley, the Home Secretary to Government of India — “ Bengal united is power, Bengal divided, will pull in several different ways”.

Curzon attempted to create a wedge between Hindus and Muslims. He tried to woo the Muslims by arguing that Dacca would become the new capital of the Muslim majority province. This would also accord to the Muslims the old glory of the Sultanate era. Read More