What was the Swadeshi Movement?

Partition of Bengal.

 Q1. Why was Bengal divided in 1905? (7)

 Ans: Bengal was the largest province of the subcontinent and also the one with the highest population. Western Bengal was a Hindu majority region with a population of 42 million Hindus and 12 million Muslims. On the other hand East Bengal being a Muslim majority area had 18 million Muslims and 12 million Hindus.There were ten times as many people as there were in whole of Britain at this time. This was no doubt a huge area to govern as one unit. It was also huge in area wise so the provincial governors could not know what was happening in every area.So in 1903 Viceroy Curzon suggested that Bengal should be partitioned into two units to improve administrative efficiency.Hence in 1905 Bengal was divided in West Bengal and East Bengal respectively. The eastern province now also included Assam, Dhaka, Chittagong and Mymensingh. Whatever reasons the British had for this decision, it was to lead to conflicts between Muslims and Hindus.

 Q2. Why did British reverse the partition of Bengal in 1911? (7)

Ans: While the Muslims benefited from the Partition of Bengal, the Hindus were totally against it. They regarded the partition as part of British divide and rule policy. Some also considered as a British attempt to weaken Hindu unity by establishing a Muslim majority province. The annulment of Bengal partition was for a number of reasons. The Partition had led to a huge political crisis. In West Bengal there were factories which belonged to Hindus. On the other hand the people working in theses factories were Muslims living in East Bengal. This created economic problem for the Hindus. 16 October the day the partition was put into effect became a day of mourning. There were hundreds of protest meeting and many petitions sent to the government. Later there was even an assassination attempt on future viceroy Lord Minto. Protest movements led by the Indian nationalist and the Congress like the Swadeshi movement pressurized the British and they were forced to reconsider the wisdom of their decision. At the hands of these protest movements the British suffered a great economic loss.

Q3. What was the Swadeshi Movement? (4)

Ans. The Swadeshi Movement of 1905 started as an Anti-Partition agitation against the British government’s decision to partition Bengal. The protest movement demanded for boycott of all British goods such as silk, spices and clothes. British clothes were thrown on fire and people started using locally produced goods. Workers denied going to British factories. Soon the sale of British goods dropped dramatically.

BY:M.H.KHAN BANGASH.