Partition of Bengal -16 Oct. 1905 - 1911

Partition of Bengal :-

1. The idea of partition was first given by William ward(Chief Commissioner of Assam ) in 1896
2.  The real attack came in 1899 when Lord Curzon reduced the number of elected members in the Calcutta corporation primarily to satisfy the European business interest 
3. Lord Curzon was the brain behind this partition but the actual partition took place, Lord Minto II had replaced Lord Curzon as the Viceroy.
4. On 16th Oct. 1905 -Bengal bifurcated into East & west Bengal .

East Bengal, Assam :- Muslim Dominated 

Area= 275938 Sq.km 

Population= 31 Million

Muslims= 18 Million(58.66%)

Hindus= 13 Million 

Districts= 15 **

WEST BENGAL -Hindu Dominated 

Area= 366692 sq. km

Population= 54 Million

Muslims= 9 Million (16.6%)

Hindus= 45 Million 

Districts =11

Reasons of Partition :-

British View

• Bengal was a very big province 
• very difficult to manage the administrative work 

Nationalist View :-

• Divide & rule policy 
• Religious & linguistic demarcation 
• If ease of administration was only reason then why wasn't Punjab, Bombay or Madras partitioned 

Effect of partition :-

1. Created a divide within Hindi, Oriya & Bengali speaking population.

2. Changed the fusion  to fission culture 

3. Created divide amongst residents in terms of Hindu & Muslim religion & region

4. way forward to Swadeshi Movement - as a result of partition 

NOTE:- In 1911, when the capital shift from Calcutta to Delhi , the two created fission cultured region are again united. 

After annulment of partition the west & east Bengal were integrated & three separate states created 

-Bengal (Comprising of East & west Bengal) -East Bengal is now Bangladesh -finally separated in 1971.

-Assam( Of same status it had in 1874) 

-Bihar & Orissa (finally separated in 1935)

Newspaper associated with Partition of Bengal:-

The newspapers played vital role in the movement. The main newspapers were:-

SANJEEVANI(K.K.Mitra)

Bengali (SN Banarjee)

Amrit Bazar Patrika (Motilal Ghosh)

Yugantar (B.B.Upadhaya)

New India (B.c.pal)

Bande Matram(A.Ghosh)

Bharat Mata (Ajit singh) 

Others focus point:-

1.R.N.Tagore  :- Patriotic  song" Amar Sonar Bangla " was sung by people.Later on it was adopted by Bangladesh in 1971

2.Raksha Bandhan:- Hindus & muslims tied Rakhis on each other's wrist showing solidarity on 16 Oct. 1905

3. Vande Mataram became a war cry.

By AJIT SINGH CHARAK .