The Anti-Partition Movement Under Moderates was led by men like Surendranath Banerjea, K.K.Mitra and Prithwishchandra Ray. The decision to Partition Bengal was made public by the government in December 1903. The official reason given for the decision was that Bengal, with a population of 78 million (roughly a quarter of British India's population), had grown too large to be administered. To some extent, this was correct, but the real reason for the partition plan was the British desire to weaken Bengal, the nerve center of Indian nationalism. In this article, we will discuss the Anti Partition Campaign Under Moderates (1903-05) which will be useful for UPSC exam preparation.

Anti Partition Movement Under Moderates - Background

• The movement arose from the anti-partition movement, which was formed in response to Lord Curzon's decision to divide the province of Bengal.
• Moderates launched the Anti-Partition Campaign to put pressure on the government to prevent the unjust partition of Bengal from taking place.
• Petitions were sent to the government, public meetings were held, and ideas were disseminated through newspapers such as Hitabadi, Sanjibani, and Bengalee.
• The partition sparked protests in Bengal, where they pledge to boycott foreign goods was first made.

Anti Partition Movement Under Moderates - Features

• The formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement was made on August 7, 1905, with the passage of the Boycott Resolution in a massive meeting held in the Calcutta Townhall.
• After this, the leaders dispersed to other parts of Bengal to propagate the message of a boycott of Manchester cloth and Liverpool salt.
• The day the partition was formally implemented, October 16, 1905, was observed as a day of mourning throughout Bengal.
• People fasted, bathed in the Ganga, and marched in processions barefoot while singing Vande Mataram (which almost spontaneously became the theme song of the movement).
• Rabindranath Tagore composed the national anthem of modern-day Bangladesh, 'Amar Sonar Bangla,' which was sung by huge crowds marching in the streets.
• Rakhis were tied to each other's hands as a symbol of Bengal's two halves' unity.
• Later in the day, Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose delivered speeches to large crowds. Within a few hours of the meeting, 50,000 rupees had been raised for the movement.
• Soon after, the movement spread to other parts of the country, with Tilak leading in Poona and Bombay, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Ajit Singh leading in Punjab, Syed Haider Raza leading in Delhi, and Chidambaram Pillai leading in Madras.

Anti Partition Movement - Congress’s Position

• In 1905, the Indian National Congress presided over by Gokhale, resolved to
  • condemn the partition of Bengal and Curzon's reactionary policies, and
  • support the anti-partition and Swadeshi Movement of Bengal.
• The militant nationalists led by Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh wanted the movement to spread beyond Bengal and go beyond a boycott of foreign goods to become a full-fledged political mass struggle with the goal of achieving swaraj.
• However, the Moderates, who dominated Congress at the time, were unwilling to go that far.
• However, a significant step forward was made at the Calcutta Congress session (1906), presided over by Dadabhai Naoroji, when it was declared that the goal of the Indian National Congress was "self-government or swaraj like the United Kingdom or the colonies" of Australia or Canada.
• The Moderate-Extremist schism over the pace of the movement and tactics of struggle reached a stalemate at the INC's Surat session (1907), when the party split, with serious consequences for the Swadeshi Movement.

Conclusion

The Boycott and Swadeshi movement arose from the anti-partition movement, which was formed in response to the British decision to divide Bengal. The Indian National Movement took a significant step forward with the launch of the Swadeshi movement at the turn of the century. In the Benaras Session of 1905, presided over by G.K. Gokhle, the INC took up the Swadeshi call and supported the Bengal Swadeshi and Boycott Movement. At a meeting of the INC in Calcutta on August 7, 1905, a resolution to boycott British goods was adopted. It began as a purely economic measure to aid in the development of Indian industry.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Who was the primary target of the Anti-Partition Campaign?

A) British Government
B) Indian National Congress
C) Local rulers
D) Revolutionary groups

2. What was the main method used by the moderates in the Anti-Partition Campaign?

A) Armed resistance
B) Non-violent protests and petitions
C) Guerrilla warfare
D) Exile and rebellion

3. What was the eventual outcome of the Anti-Partition Campaign?

A) The partition was upheld
B) The partition was revoked in 1911
C) The campaign led to armed resistance
D) The Indian National Congress dissolved

4. Who was a key cultural figure involved in the Anti-Partition Campaign?

A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Rabindranath Tagore
C) Lala Lajpat Rai
D) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

5. What was the British motive behind the partition of Bengal in 1905?

A) To improve administrative efficiency
B) To divide and rule by creating religious divisions
C) To encourage economic growth
D) To grant autonomy to the region

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Examine the significance of the Anti-Partition Campaign of 1905 in shaping the Indian Nationalist Movement.

Answer: The Anti-Partition Campaign of 1905 was a turning point in the Indian nationalist movement. The campaign was a reaction to the British decision to partition Bengal, which was seen as an attempt to divide and weaken the growing nationalist sentiment by creating religious divisions. The campaign brought together leaders from various communities and regions, united against the British policy. It marked a shift from moderate approaches to more radical methods in the future, especially with the rise of the Swadeshi Movement. Although the campaign was ultimately peaceful, it galvanized national sentiment, contributing to the rise of revolutionary activities and the broader struggle for independence. The campaign's success in pressuring the British to reverse the partition in 1911 highlighted the power of mass mobilization and set the stage for the larger freedom movement.

Q2: Discuss the role of the moderates in the Anti-Partition Campaign and their methods of resistance against British rule.

Answer: The moderates played a significant role in the Anti-Partition Campaign, advocating for constitutional methods of resistance. Leaders such as Surendranath Banerjee and Rabindranath Tagore promoted peaceful protests, petitions, and public meetings as the primary means of opposing the partition. Their approach emphasized the importance of unity among all communities and regions to strengthen the nationalist cause. While the moderates opposed the British policy, their methods remained largely non-violent. However, their limited success in the campaign eventually paved the way for more radical forms of resistance in the subsequent years, as the realization grew that only mass mobilization and direct action could challenge British rule effectively.

Q3: Analyze the long-term effects of the Anti-Partition Campaign on the political landscape of India.

Answer: The Anti-Partition Campaign of 1905 had profound long-term effects on the political landscape of India. Although the partition was reversed in 1911, the campaign set the stage for the rise of the Swadeshi Movement and greater public participation in the struggle for independence. The unification of Hindus and Muslims against a common enemy during the campaign highlighted the potential for communal harmony in the fight for independence. Additionally, the use of cultural and educational campaigns to oppose British policies was a precursor to later movements that blended political and cultural resistance. The Anti-Partition Campaign also marked the rise of the middle class as a significant force in the Indian nationalist movement, which would play a central role in the future anti-colonial struggle.

Previous Year Questions on Anti-Partition Campaign

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2021:

Question: Who was a prominent leader in the Anti-Partition Campaign of 1905?

A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Subhas Chandra Bose
C) Surendranath Banerjee
D) Lala Lajpat Rai

Answer: (C)

Explanation: Surendranath Banerjee was one of the prominent leaders who played an active role in organizing the Anti-Partition Campaign of 1905 against the British decision to divide Bengal.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 1):

Question: "Analyze the significance of the Anti-Partition Campaign of 1905 in the context of the broader Indian Nationalist Movement." Discuss its impact on future resistance movements.

Answer: The Anti-Partition Campaign of 1905 was a significant moment in the Indian Nationalist Movement as it marked the first mass resistance against British colonial policies. The movement helped unite different sections of Indian society, including Hindus and Muslims, in opposition to British rule. Though it did not immediately succeed in preventing the partition, the campaign energized the Indian public and inspired later nationalist movements, including the Swadeshi Movement. It laid the groundwork for more radical forms of resistance and was pivotal in the eventual consolidation of the Indian National Congress as the leading political force in India. The use of peaceful protests, cultural resistance, and the appeal to national unity proved to be effective tools for challenging colonial rule in the years that followed.