Partition of Bengal - Questions and Answers

The three main geographical regions of Bengal annexed to the province of West Bengal and Assam after the partition were:

• Chittagong Division
• Dacca Division
• Rajshahi Division (excluding Darjeeling)

The British government claimed the partition was for administrative efficiency due to Bengal's large size and population. However, the real intentions were to:

• Divide the Bengali-speaking population to weaken nationalist sentiments
• Create a Muslim-majority province in East Bengal to implement a 'divide and rule' policy
• Reduce the influence of Calcutta-based political leaders

The anti-partition movement was named Swadeshi Movement because it emphasized the use of indigenous (Swadeshi) goods and the boycott of British products. The movement encouraged:

• Promotion of Indian-made goods over foreign imports
• Development of indigenous industries and enterprises
• Economic self-reliance as a means to counter British colonial policies

The Swadeshi Movement made significant contributions to national education:

• Establishment of national schools and colleges outside the British education system
• Foundation of the National Council of Education in 1906 to promote technical and scientific education
• Promotion of vernacular languages and Indian cultural values in education
• Encouragement of self-reliance in educational matters

During the Swadeshi Movement, national industries developed through:

• Establishment of indigenous enterprises like Bengal Chemicals, Tata Iron and Steel Company
• Promotion of swadeshi goods through public campaigns and bonfires of foreign cloth
• Development of Indian banks and financial institutions to support local industries
• Encouragement of technical education to build industrial expertise

The British implemented several anti-movement measures:

• Repressive laws and ordinances to curb political activities
• Arrest and deportation of prominent leaders
• Use of police force to suppress public meetings and processions
• Divide and rule policy by favoring certain communities

Three important results of the Swadeshi Movement were:

• Growth of Indian nationalism and political consciousness
• Development of indigenous industries and promotion of economic self-reliance
• Revival of Indian culture, education and traditional arts

Three significant contributions of the Swadeshi Movement:

• It transformed the Indian freedom struggle from elite-led to mass participation
• It promoted the idea of economic self-sufficiency as a political weapon
• It laid the foundation for future nationalist movements and the ultimate independence of India

The partition of Bengal in 1905 resulted in the creation of two new provinces: West Bengal and Eastern Bengal & Assam. Three main geographical regions of Bengal that were annexed to the newly formed province of Eastern Bengal and Assam included:

• Chittagong Division: This coastal region in southeastern Bengal was known for its port city of Chittagong, which served as an important trade and maritime center.
• Dacca Division: Located in central Bengal, this region included the historic city of Dhaka (then Dacca), which became the capital of the new province and was a center of Muslim culture and administration.
• Rajshahi Division: This northwestern region of Bengal (excluding Darjeeling) was primarily agricultural and known for its silk production and riverine geography.

The British justification for including these regions in the new province was administrative efficiency, but the underlying motive was to create a Muslim-majority province that would weaken the growing nationalist movement in Bengal by dividing the Bengali-speaking population along religious lines.

The partition of Bengal in 1905, officially announced by Lord Curzon, was presented as an administrative measure to improve governance in a province that had become too large to administer effectively. However, historical evidence suggests that the British had several underlying political intentions:

• Divide and Rule Policy: The primary intention was to weaken the growing nationalist movement in Bengal by dividing the Bengali-speaking population. Bengal was the epicenter of Indian nationalism, and by partitioning it, the British hoped to create religious divisions between Hindus and Muslims.
• Creation of Muslim Majority Province: The new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam was designed to have a Muslim majority, which the British hoped would create a loyal Muslim constituency that would counterbalance Hindu nationalist aspirations.
• Weakening of Calcutta's Influence: Calcutta was the capital of British India and the center of political and intellectual activity. By creating a new province with its capital in Dacca, the British aimed to reduce Calcutta's political significance and divide the Bengali intelligentsia.
• Economic Considerations: Some historians argue that the partition was also motivated by economic interests, particularly to develop the port of Chittagong as an alternative to Calcutta and to better administer the eastern regions for resource extraction.

The partition ultimately backfired as it led to the massive Swadeshi Movement and strengthened Indian nationalism, forcing the British to annul the partition in 1911.

The anti-partition agitation that emerged in response to the 1905 partition of Bengal came to be known as the Swadeshi Movement because of its central emphasis on the concept of 'Swadeshi' or 'of one's own country'. This naming reflected several key aspects of the movement:

• Economic Boycott: The movement advocated for the boycott of British goods and the promotion of Indian-made products. This economic strategy was aimed at hurting British commercial interests in India while simultaneously promoting indigenous industries.
• Self-Reliance: Swadeshi meant economic self-sufficiency and the development of Indian enterprise. The movement encouraged the establishment of Indian-owned banks, insurance companies, and manufacturing units to reduce dependence on British capital and goods.
• Cultural Revival: Beyond economics, Swadeshi represented a broader cultural and political awakening. It promoted the revival of Indian arts, crafts, education, and traditional knowledge systems that had been marginalized under colonial rule.
• National Education: The movement led to the establishment of national schools and colleges that provided education outside the British system, emphasizing Indian languages, history, and cultural values.

The term 'Swadeshi' thus encapsulated the comprehensive nature of the protest, which went beyond mere opposition to partition and evolved into a multifaceted movement for national regeneration, self-reliance, and cultural assertion against colonial domination.

The Swadeshi Movement made profound and lasting contributions to the development of national education in India, creating an alternative to the British colonial education system:

• Establishment of National Institutions: The movement led to the creation of numerous national schools and colleges across Bengal and other parts of India. Notable among these was the Bengal National College, established in 1906 with Aurobindo Ghosh as its principal, which aimed to provide education with a nationalistic orientation.
• National Council of Education: In August 1906, the National Council of Education (Jatiya Siksha Parishad) was established to oversee and promote a system of national education. This body aimed to create an educational framework that was free from government control and emphasized scientific, technical, and literary education rooted in Indian traditions.
• Technical and Scientific Education: The movement placed special emphasis on technical and scientific education to build indigenous expertise. The Bengal Technical Institute (which later became Jadavpur University) was established to provide engineering and technical education, reducing dependence on foreign technical knowledge.
• Vernacular Medium and Indian Content: National educational institutions promoted instruction in vernacular languages and incorporated Indian history, culture, and values into the curriculum, countering the anglicized education of British institutions.
• Women's Education: The movement also contributed to the expansion of education for women, with several institutions being established specifically for female students.

These educational initiatives not only provided an alternative to colonial education but also helped create a generation of Indians who were proud of their heritage and committed to the cause of national independence.

The Swadeshi Movement provided a significant impetus to the development of national industries in India, marking an important phase in the country's economic nationalism:

• Indigenous Enterprises: The movement witnessed the establishment of numerous Indian-owned enterprises across various sectors. Prominent examples include Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals (founded by Prafulla Chandra Ray), Tata Iron and Steel Company (established by Jamsetji Tata), and Bengal Lakshmi Cotton Mill. These enterprises aimed to reduce dependence on British manufactured goods.
• Swadeshi Promotion: Public campaigns encouraged Indians to boycott British goods and use Swadeshi products instead. This created a ready market for Indian manufacturers and helped them compete against established British companies.
• Financial Institutions: The need for capital to fund Indian enterprises led to the establishment of Swadeshi banks and financial institutions, such as the Punjab National Bank (1894) and People's Bank of India (1901), which provided funding to Indian entrepreneurs.
• Technical Education: Recognizing the importance of technical knowledge, the movement promoted technical education through institutions like the Bengal Technical Institute, which trained Indians in engineering and industrial skills.
• Cottage Industries: Alongside large-scale industries, the movement also revived and promoted traditional cottage industries like handloom weaving, pottery, and leatherwork, providing employment to artisans and preserving traditional skills.

While many Swadeshi enterprises faced challenges and some eventually failed, the movement created an enduring spirit of economic nationalism and laid the foundation for India's future industrial development.

Rabindranath Tagore, popularly known as Kabiguru (the poet guru), was a towering figure in the Swadeshi Movement and Indian cultural renaissance. He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection of poems 'Gitanjali'. Tagore played a significant role in the anti-partition agitation, composing patriotic songs like 'Banglar Mati Banglar Jol' and 'Amar Sonar Bangla' (which later became the national anthem of Bangladesh). He established Santiniketan as an experimental school based on indigenous educational principles, which later developed into Visva-Bharati University. Tagore's approach to nationalism was humanistic and inclusive, emphasizing cultural regeneration rather than mere political protest. He renounced his knighthood in 1919 following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, demonstrating his commitment to Indian self-respect and independence.

Margaret Elizabeth Noble, known as Sister Nivedita, was an Irish-born teacher and social worker who became a disciple of Swami Vivekananda and dedicated her life to India's service. She arrived in India in 1898 and quickly involved herself in the nationalist movement. During the Swadeshi Movement, Nivedita played a crucial role in promoting national education, particularly for women. She established a girls' school in Calcutta that combined modern education with Indian cultural values. Nivedita used her writing skills to support the nationalist cause, contributing articles to various publications and designing the first version of the 'Vajra' symbol for the revolutionary journal 'Jugantar'. She worked closely with many prominent nationalists, including Aurobindo Ghosh and Rabindranath Tagore, and provided both moral and material support to revolutionary activities. Her book 'The Web of Indian Life' presented a positive image of Indian culture to Western audiences.

Nawab Sir Khwaja Salimullah Bahadur was the fourth Nawab of Dhaka and a prominent Muslim leader during the partition of Bengal. He played a complex role in the political developments of early 20th century Bengal. Salimullah initially supported the partition of Bengal in 1905, seeing it as an opportunity for the development of Muslims in Eastern Bengal. He used his influence to mobilize Muslim support for the partition and organized the Muslim League's founding session in Dhaka in 1906. However, his stance evolved over time as he recognized the negative consequences of communal division. Despite his initial alignment with British policies, Salimullah later worked towards Hindu-Muslim unity and supported the annulment of the partition in 1911 when it became clear that the division was causing widespread discontent. His legacy reflects the complicated political positioning of Muslim aristocrats during the colonial period, balancing community interests with broader nationalist concerns.