Second Phase of the INM Flashcards
What did the Province of Bengal comprise of?
Bengal proper, Bihar, Orissa, Chhotanagpur, and Bengali speaking districts of modern Assam
What was the area of the Province of Bengal?
1,90,000 sq . miles.
What was the population of the Province of Bengal?
78.5 million
Who approved the scheme for the Partition of Bengal? When?
Lord Curzon, in 1903
When was the scheme for the Partition of Bengal denounced?
In the Congress’ annual sessions in 1903 and 1904
When was the scheme for the Partition of Bengal finally put into effect?
October 16, 1905
What was the new province called?
East Bengal and Assam
What did East Bengal and Assam consist of?
Assam and Chittagong and fifteen districts of old Bengal
What was the area of the new province?
1,06,540 sq. miles
What was the population of the new province?
31 million, of whom about 18 million were Muslims and more than 12 million Hindus
What was the capital of the new province?
Dacca (modern Dhaka)
Where were the subsidiary headquarters of the new province?
Chittagong
What were the causes of partition? (government’s version)
- The Government regarded the size of the Province of Bengal to be too large to be properly administered by a single Provincial Government
- The Secretary to the Government of India noted that the Government was in favour of bringing all the Oriya i.e. Odia speaking people (outside the territorial limits of Odisha) under the administration of Bengal
What argument was advanced in favour of the partition by the British?
That it would improve the administration of both the Provinces : 1) Bengal, 2) East Bengal and Assam
What reasons did the Nationalists think were at play in the Partition of Bengal?
- To strike at the Roots of Bengali Nationalism
- The Policy of Divide and Rule - To drive a wedge between Hindus and Muslims
- To demonstrate the strength of the British Raj
What was considered to be “the nerve centre of Indian nationalism”?
Bengal
What was Risely, the Home Secretary, on record saying?
One of our main objects is to split up and thereby weaken a solid body of opponents to our rule
What did Lord Curzon and the British officials believe with respect to Bengal?
“Bengal united is a power; Bengal divided will pull the national movement in several different directions”
When did Lord Curzon go on a tour of East Bengal?
1904
What did Lord Curzon do in his tour to East Bengal?
He addresses a no. of meetings, where he explained to the Muslims that “his object in partitioning was not only to relieve the Bengal administration, but also to create a Mohammedan province”
What was the effect of Lord Curzon’s address to the Muslims in East Bengal in 1904?
The Mullas went from place to place explaining to the Muslims that the government was on their side
Which governor was reactionary?
Lord Curzon. He had a great dislike for democratic ideals.
What did Lord Curzon think about the people of India?
He believed that people of India, illiterate as he called them, could have no political aspiration. To him, the demand of the Indian National Congress meant nothing.
How did the Partition of Bengal demonstrate the strength of the British Raj?
It proved that the British Raj could afford to hold public opinion in contempt
Who composed Vande Mataram?
Bankimchandra Chatterji
What was a day of mourning in Bengal?
October 16th, 1905
What happened in the city in October 16th, 1905?
Every city, town and village rang with the cry of ‘Bande Mataram’, which symbolised patriotism and unity
Which veteran politician leader presided over a mammoth meeting at Kolkata and when?
Anand Mohan Bose
What did Anand Mohan Bose do?
He laid the foundation of a Federation Hall, which was to be the symbol of the unity of Bengal, a meeting ground of the Eastern and Western Bengal.
What did the people who gathered at Federation Hall do?
They took the vow of Swadeshi
Who wrote ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ (My Golden Bengal) for the split of Bengal?
Rabindranath Tagore
Who was the most aggressive leader during the time of the split of Bengal?
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Who was called the “Father of the Indian Unrest” by V. Chirol?
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Which leaders were known for their bold actions?
Bipin Chandra Pal, Lajpat Ray, Aurobindo Ghose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak
What were the basic beliefs and objectives of the assertive nationalists?
- They had no faith in the British sense of justice and fair play
- The phase of the three P’s - Pray, Please, Petition was now over
- Their sturdy spirit provoked self-reliance and self-determination
- The ultimate objective was Swaraj
What did the assertive nationalists highlight?
The deceit and treachery by means of which the British had conquered India
What did Lajpat Rai write with regard to the three P’s?
An Englishman hates or dislikes nothing but beggars. It is our duty to tell Englishmen we are no longer beggars.
What did Tilak say about moderates?
Political rights will have to be fought for. The Moderates think that these can be won by persuasion. We think that the can only be got by strong pressure
What did Tilak say about Swaraj?
Swaraj is my birth-right and I will have it
What was the difference in the ultimate objective of the Moderates vs the Assertive Nationalists?
The Moderates asked for ‘Dominion Status’ i.e. self-government under the British Crown, whereas the Assertive Nationalists would not be satisfied with anything lower than Swaraj