Viceroy Curzon proposed Bengal's partition in 1903, dividing it on October 16 1905 into two provinces: "Bengal" (western Bengal, Bihar and Orissa) and Eastern Bengal and Assam, with Dacca as its capital. This split separated the Muslim-majority east from Hindu-majority west. Hindus opposed this as a "divide and rule" policy, while Muslims formed their own communal organization. Lord Hardings reunited Bengal in 1911 to appease Bengali sentiment, partly due to Swadeshi movement riots.

REASONS FOR THE PARTITION [14][7]

• large size: Bengal was the largest administrative unit in British India, with an area of 189,000 square miles and 80 million people - ten times Britain's population. it was as large as france. Due to its massive size and difficult administration, Lord Curzon proposed partitioning it into two smaller, more manageable provinces.
• Bengal was also partitioned because of religious reasons. There were around 30 million Muslims and 54 million hindus in Bengal. Thus, Hindu-Muslim communal clashes and animosity was huge, and religious riots were increasing on different issues like the slaughtering of cows. Hence, the British decided to partition Bengal, as it seemed sensible to divide up the province on religious grounds to maintain peace in the region.
• Moreover, Bengal was partitioned to address Hindu dominance and to give muslims a bit of freedom. Hindus held most positions of power as landlords, while Muslims were mainly farmers. Hindu control extended to education, media and industry, limiting Muslim opportunities. The partition aimed to give Muslims more autonomy and recognition in their own province.
• there was regional disparity, in east and west bengal. to fix that bengal was partitioned by lord curzon, this was because people of east felt ingored and underdeveloped, hence to fix this and to bring east bengal up to the level of west bengal, it was partitioned.
• Furthermore, Bengal was partitioned to counter Hindu political influence. Hindus were demanding cotton concessions and greater administrative roles in Bengal. These demands worried the British, who were committed to maintaining their own policies. The Hindu community had also united through the Congress platform to demand more political power. To counter this growing political challenge, the British partitioned Bengal to divide the Hindu population between East and West Bengal.
• Bengal was also partitioned by the British to improve their relationship with Muslims. After the War of Independence in 1857, the British mistrusted Muslims, believing they were responsible for the uprising. However, by the early 20th century, the British sought to cooperate with Muslims, who formed the second-largest religious group in India. Bengal had a significant Muslim population, so the British partitioned it to create East Bengal as a Muslim-majority province. This helped end social and economic oppression of Muslims and improved British-Muslim relations.

why did muslims support partition? [7]

• The Partition of Bengal was a significant event that benefited the Muslim community. In the new province, Muslims made up 58% of the population, a significant increase from their previous 1/3 representation in Bengal. Dacca became the capital, and its progress accelerated. Muslims in Bengal saw this as an opportunity for growth and prosperity, which is why they supported the partition.
• Improved Administration led to the establishment of a new capital in Dhaka, which became a hub for intellectual and cultural activities. A legislative council was set up, and a governor was appointed to oversee the province ¹.
• Economic Growth was another significant outcome of the partition. The province saw the development of infrastructure, including the laying of over 200 miles of railway tracks and the introduction of steamer services. These advancements facilitated trade and commerce, creating new opportunities for the Muslim population.
• Education and Employment opportunities also increased, with the establishment of new schools and colleges. The enrollment of Muslim students rose, and the teaching staff expanded to accommodate the growing demand
• religious freedom muslims supported the partition as they were able to practice religion freely in eastern bengal, muslim majority province.

why did hindus oppose the partition? [7]

• Hindus saw the partition as a deliberate attempt to divide the Bengali nation and break their collective power under the British "divide and rule" policy. The partition reduced the Hindu majority in Bengal to a minority in East Bengal, where Muslims were now in majority. This shift threatened the Congress's support base in the region
• Bengali Hindus, who were better educated and economically stronger, felt that the partition would cause economic losses and undermine their dominant position in the province. even in east bengal hindus landlords were dominant and powerful but felt that under muslims dominated govt, theyd suffer.
• The Congress was not willing to give up its dominance over the Muslims, and the partition threatened to empower Muslims economically and politically. as muslims could now launch a struggle for their civil and political rights, this would increase chances and opportunities for muslims to start competing with hindus.

british reaction to hindu protests? 4

• restrictions were placed on newspapers and public meetings