Modern Indian History

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 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 unlike the Radicals. 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.

The slogan of 'Bande Mataram' was first adopted during the swadeshi movement which was against the partition of Bengal. It is a poem from Bankim Chandra Chattopahyay’s novel Anandmath in 1882, written in Bengali and Sanskrit. It became the prayer song during the anti-partition meetings.

Rabindranath Tagore used Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Utsav to symbolize unity between Hindus and Muslims. It was held in 1905 to prevent Bengal partition. Thousands of Hindus and Muslims came forward to support Tagore and tied Rakhi on each other's hand. The thread became the symbol of unity and harmony.

The Indian National Congress (INC) split into two groups - the extremists and the moderates, at the Surat Session in 1907. The immediate cause of split in the INC at its Surat Session was Election of the President to the INC. Moderates wanted Lala Lajpat Rai whereas moderates wanted Rash Behari Gosh. Dr. Rash Behari Ghosh was elected but the extremists had an objection to this election.

The Swadeshi movement started as the response to the partition of Bengal in 1905 by Lord Curzon and continued till 1911. Its chief architect includes Aurobindo Ghosh, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Lala Lajpat Rai. The key strategy of this movement was Swaraj (self-rule). 

Aurobindo Ghose was an Indian Poet, Guru, Yogi, and Philosopher. In 1905 when VIceroy of India Lord Curzon partitioned the Bengal there was an outburst of public anger against British. At this time Aurobindo Ghosh also led a nationalist campaign by a group of revolutionaries and entered into the fold of Indian National Movement. He was also arrested in 1908 on charges of planning to kill the magistrate Kingsford but was released on May 6, 1909.

In the year 1911 Calcutta became the former capital of British India and it was shifted to Delhi. The decision was taken during the reign of Lord Hardinge, the then Viceroy of India. Hardinge's explanation was that Calcutta was located in the extreme east so the capital should be centralized for betterment. Though historians stated that in Bengal the situation was gradually going beyond control and rigorous extremist movement was giving sleepless nights to the British Raj.

Lord Hardinge held a durbar in December, 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V. Here, the partition of Bengal was cancelled and the capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. The reason was the widespread oppoasition to the partition and in the face of growing Bengali nationalism, the partition was annulled.

The issue of Partition of Bengal and failure of National Congress as an active party gave birth of extremism in the Indian National Congress. The Congress followers then divided into two groups i.e extremist and moderates. In Surat (1907) Rash Bihari Ghosh became the president of INC who was a moderate. Whereas the extremists demanded Bal Gangadhar Tilak or Lala Lajpat Rai should become the president. In Surat meeting, the tug of war between these two groups became more prominent.

These figures were prominent leaders who worked to reform social practices, fight caste discrimination, and improve the status of marginalized groups in India.

The British established control over Manipur following the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891.

The Meira Paibi, a women's social movement in Manipur, has been at the forefront of demanding the revocation of the AFSPA due to its perceived misuse.