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. 

Partition Of Bengal

The then Bengal province included present-day West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Bangladesh, and Assam. It was a very vast area, and by the first few years of the 20th century, the population rose to 78 million. The British have ruled the Bengal province since 1765, i.e., following the Battle of Buxar, with Calcutta as its capital. The British claimed that the administration had become challenging because of the massive size of the presidency, and mostly the rural areas in the eastern part were neglected. As the capital city of British India and the Bengal province was Calcutta, most of the industries were centered in Calcutta, resulting in a lack of industries, education, and employment. For administrative ease, the partition of the Bengal province had been proposed by British India. In the year 1874, Assam province was first separated from Bengal and put under the control of a Chief Commissioner.

The partition of Bengal was first announced by British India in the year 1903. It was announced on July 19, 1905, and was legally implemented on October 16, 1905. Though the official reason given by the British for the division of Bengal was administrative purposes, the real motive behind it was to divide Hindus and Muslims and also to suppress the growth of rising nationalism in Bengal and also in other parts of India. The main motive behind the partition was to create a rift between the Hindu and Muslim communities and undermine unity and nationalism in the nation. Even our historians argue that if it was for administrative convenience, the Hindi-speaking areas of Bihar and Odia should have been separated from the Bengali-speaking areas of Bengal. The British used the idea of the Bengal partition as a political tool to weaken Bengal by dividing it based on religious lines.

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.

Abolition of the partition

The partition of Bengal was abolished by King George V on December 12th, 1911, as the authorities were not able to end the intense political protests. In the same year, the capital of British India was moved to Delhi from Calcutta. East Bengal and West Bengal were reconciled again, but then the Bengal province was partitioned based on linguistic lines, which resulted in the Bihar and Orissa Provinces. To appease Bengali Muslims who were displeased with the loss of Eastern Bengal, the British moved the capital to a Mughal site. Though the partition was abolished, it did create a communal rift between the Hindus and Muslims of Bengal.

FAQ on Bengal Partition

Question 1: Who made the decision to partition Bengal?

Answer: 

The partition of the Bengal province was announced on July 19, 1905, by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. He was the Viceroy of India from 1898 to 1905.

Question 2: What were the main motives of the British for partitioning Bengal?

Answer: 

Though the purpose of the partition was to make administration more feasible, the British used the idea of the Bengal partition as a political tool to weaken Bengal by dividing it based on religious lines. The main motives of the British for partitioning Bengal were to suppress the influence of radical Bengali nationalists and stifle the growth of rising nationalism in Bengal and also in other parts of India; to deepen differences between Muslims and Hindus; and to erode the unity between them.

Question 3: What are the reasons given by the British for the partition of Bengal?

Answer: 

The partition of the Bengal province was announced on July 19, 1905, by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. The reason given by the British for the partition of Bengal was that the Bengal province, which had a population of around 78 million, had become too big to be administered. So, to make administration more feasible, the partition of the province has been proposed and implemented. However, the main motive behind the partition was to weaken the growth of nationalism in Bengal and also in other parts of India.

Question 4: In which year did the Partition of Bengal take place?

Answer: 

The partition of the Bengal province was announced on July 19, 1905. It was legally implemented on October 16, 1905, and was nullified after six years. The partition separated Bengal into two provinces: West Bengal, which has the majority of Hindus, and East Bengal, which has the majority of Muslims. 

Question 5: What was the reaction to the partition of Bengal?

Answer:

The partition of the Bengal province separated it into two provinces: West Bengal, which has the majority of Hindus; and East Bengal, which has the majority of Muslims. Though many Muslim communities welcomed this as it meant they would have their own province, which was an opportunity for them to develop in education and improve their standard of living, Hindus and a few Muslims opposed it. As a result of the partition, the Swadeshi and Boycott movements in the national struggle have been launched to protest the government’s decision.