Role of Lord Curzon behind the Partition Of Bengal
- Lord Curzon was the Viceroy of India from 1898 to 1905. He announced the “Partition of Bengal” on July 19, 1905.
- At first, Lord Curzon put forward the proposal for the division of the Bengal province into two provinces just for administrative purposes.
- In 1904, he traveled across eastern Bengal and prepared a feasible plan for the partition of Bengal. He visited the Muslim-majority districts of East Bengal, trying to woo Muslims by hinting to them that Dacca would be the new capital of East Bengal.
- Curzon was aware that Bengal was the hub of Indian nationalism. So, he believed that by partitioning Bengal the growth of rising nationalism in Bengal can be suppressed.
- According to the partition, Bengal was divided into two provinces, which resulted in the separation of the Muslim majority eastern areas from the Hindu majority western areas.
- The main motives of Lord Curzon behind the partition of Bengal were to suppress the influence of radical Bengali nationalists and stifle the nationalist movement that was raging throughout the Bengal province; deepen differences between Muslims and Hindus, and erode the unity between them.
Impact
After the partition, there was a protest in the nation against this partition. This partition was seen as an insult to the motherland by many Bengalis. However, many Muslim communities welcomed this as they would have their own province, which was an opportunity for them to develop in education and improve their standard of living. People had seen the “Divide and Rule” policy employed by the British government in India.
As a result of the partition, meetings were held all over Bengal, and the Swadeshi and Boycott movements in the national struggle have been launched to protest the government’s decision. People started boycotting all British goods and buying Indian products only. The Swadeshi movement led to the establishment of Swadeshi enterprises like textile mills, tanneries, banks, soap and match factories, etc. The Bengal partition did succeed in creating a communal rift in the nation, which also contributed to the foundation of the Muslim League in 1906.
What were Curzon’s Motives behind the Partition of Bengal?
The Partition of Bengal was about the reorganization of the Bengal province, i.e., the separation of the eastern parts of Bengal from the rest of Bengal. Lord Curzon was the Viceroy of India from 1898 to 1905. He announced the “Partition of Bengal” on July 19, 1905. The Partition of Bengal was legally implemented on October 16, 1905, and was nullified after six years. The nationalists saw the partition as a “Divide and Rule” policy employed by British India and were outraged. The partition separated Bengal into two provinces: West Bengal, which has the majority of Hindus, and East Bengal, which has the majority of Muslims.