Modern Indian History

Lord Curzon, the British Viceroy at the time ordered partition of Bengal. The decision met with wide opposition in the form of Swadeshi movement. People were on the streets tying rakhi signifing unity, shouting slogans and songs like Vande Mataram, Amar Sona Bangla (My Golden Bengal), etc. It was decided to annul the partition of Bengal in 1911 mainly to control the danger of revolutionary terrorism.

In order to check the Swadeshi and the Boycott movement, the government used all forms of repression. Their repressive measures not only generated anger among the youth but also inflamed their patriotic fervor. As a result, a number of patriotic revolutionary groups began to operate. They were active in Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Punjab.

'Swadeshi literally means of one's own country.' It aimed at the promotion of indigenous industries for strengthening the nation. According to Lala Lajpat Rai, "The Swadeshi movement ought to make us self-respecting, self-reliant, self-supporting."

On July 20, 1905 Lord Curzon announced the division of the province of Bengal into following two provinces. The scheme of the partition of Bengal was implemented on October 16, 1905.

The people lost their faith in the fair play and justice of the British. Lord Curzon refused to concede to the demands of annulling the partition of Bengal. He said, “Partition of Bengal is a settled fact and what is settled cannot be unsettled.”

The idea of swadeshi and boycott, born of the popular feeling in 1905, took shape and it was realised that Swadeshi and boycott were complementary and one would not succeed without the other.

The partition of Bengal was revoked in 1911. A new scheme of partition of Bengal was implemented on linguistic rather than on religious grounds. Hindi, Oriya and Assamese speaking areas were separate administrative units. The administrative capital of British India was shifted from kolkata to Delhi in 1911. 

The Swadeshi movement cast its shadow on the growing differences between the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists. The Assertive Nationalists wanted to extend the Swadeshi and boycott to the rest of India and make it a vehicle for a full-fledged political mass struggle leading to Swaraj. The Early Nationalists did not approve it for the whole of India and wanted it to confined to Bengal only. Due to which the dispute between the two wing of Congress on the issue of Swadeshi, Swaraj and National Education was not resolved.

The Assertive Nationalists did a great service to the National Movement. They clarified its objectives, taught people self-reliance and prepared the social base of the movement to include the middle class, students, youth, and women. They introduced new methods of waging political struggle. Thus, this movement with a wide social base paved the way for future mass movements led by Gandhiji.
Mahatma Gandhi wrote that the real awakening in India "took place after the partition of Bengal."

The Partition was meant to foster division o the basis of religion. East Bengal would be predominantly a Muslim majority state and West Bengal would have a Hindu majority.

On the grounds of controversy over Bengal partition, the radicals held agitations on swadeshi and prohibition of foreign goods. The moderates wanted to confine the protest only to Bengal. Moreover, they were not ready for the direct confrontation with the government. This led to the outburst of differences between the moderates and the radicals giving way to political confusions in the congress. In the 1907 congress session held at Surat, congress was split into two between moderates and radicals.

On the grounds of controversy over Bengal partition, the radicals held agitations on swadeshi and prohibition of foreign goods. The moderates wanted to confine the protest only to Bengal. Moreover, they were not ready for the direct confrontation with the government. This led to the outburst of differences between the moderates and the radicals giving way to political confusions in the congress. In the 1907 congress session held at Surat, congress was split into two between moderates and radicals.

On the grounds of controversy over Bengal partition, the radicals held agitations on swadeshi and prohibition of foreign goods. The moderates wanted to confine the protest only to Bengal. Moreover, they were not ready for the direct confrontation with the government. This led to the outburst of differences between the moderates and the radicals giving way to political confusions in the congress. In the 1907 congress session held at Surat, congress was split into two between moderates and radicals.

On the ground of controversy over Bengal partition, the radicals held agitations on swadeshi and prohibition of foreign goods. The moderates wanted to confine the protest only to Bengal. Moreover, they were not ready for the direct confrontation with the government. This led to the outburst of differences between the moderates and the radicals giving way to political confusions in the congress. In the 1907 congress session held at Surat, congress was split into two between moderates and radicals.

On the grounds of controversy over Bengal partition, the radicals held agitations on swadeshi and prohibition of foreign goods. The moderates wanted to confine the protest only to Bengal. Moreover, they were not ready for the direct confrontation with the government. This led to the outburst of differences between the moderates and the radicals giving way to political confusions in the congress. In the 1907 congress session held at Surat, congress was split into two between moderates and radicals.