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Partition of India, 1947 1. WHAT WERE THE REASONS FOR

by THE PARTITION OF BENGAL?
WHY DID THE PEOPLE OF WEST
MOYENUL HASAN 2.
BENGAL OPPOSE THE
PARTITION OF BENGAL IN 1905?
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India Partition, 1947
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India Partition,1947
The rapid change in the political mood of the Hindus and
Muslims of the province ought to be measured by the
complex politics of communalities, communalism, and
Introduction

imperialism of the time. HS Suhrawardy, chief minister of

Bengal, made a last moment attempt to transcend the
limits and keep Bengal united with the status of an
independent state. However, his move for a United
Independent Bengal floundered. An Islamic state Pakistan
was born on 14 of August 1947, and India achieved her
independence in the very next day on 15 of August 1947.
In spite of Mahatma Gandhi's strong opposition, India
was divided into two parts, is known as the Partition of
India.

Scenario During Partition
An old Sikh man carrying his wife.
Over 10 million people were uprooted
from their homeland and travelled on
foot, bullock carts and trains to their
promised new home.
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An aged and abandoned Muslim couple
and their grand children sitting by the
roadside on this arduous journey. "The
old man is dying of exhaustion. The
caravan has gone on," wrote Bourke- A helpless and hungry family looking at
White. the uncertain future during partition
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Background
 Historians believe that talks about the separation of
India and Pakistan began in 1905. It can be said that Background
Indian nationalism was born through hard work of 1. Partition of Bengal (1905)
Bengal. At that time, Muslim intellectuals criticized 2. Lucknow Pact, 1916
the concept of extremist, straggliest, and nationalism 3. Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms: 1919
as anti-Islamic. It is very clear that Bengal partition
4. Simon Commission (1927-1930)
in 1905 and Re-unification of Bengal in 1911
bequeathed a lingering conflict between the Hindu 5. Two nation theory, 1939
and Muslims. In this context, the partition of India 6. Lahore Resolution, 1940
became unavoidable in 1947. The background of 7. Cripps mission 1942
India partition 1947 are given below- 8. Coalition government 1937-1947
9. Election, 1946
10. Cabinet Mission
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1. Partition of Bengal (1905)

Commencing the partition of Bengal in 1905, the

consciousness of partition of India initiated in
1947. From this circumstance, the craving for
independence is awakened among the Muslims.
Finally, the greater Bengal was partitioned into
two countries named India and Pakistan. Later,
after liberation war in 1971, East Pakistan took
its place in the world map named Independent
Bangladesh.
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2. Lucknow Pact, 1916
Lucknow Pact refers to an agreement grasped Demands presented to the British
between the moderates and extremists of the Indian  There shall be established a self government in India.
National Congress and the Muslim League at the
 Muslims should be given one third representation in
joint session of both the parties, held in Lucknow,
in December 1916. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, then a the central government.
member of the Congress as well as the League,  The number of members of central legislative councils
made both the parties reach an agreement to should be increased.
pressure the British government to adopt a more
liberal approach to India and give Indians more  Motions which were passed by large majorities in the
authority to run their country, besides safeguarding councils should be accepted as bindings by the British
basic Muslim demands. Jinnah is seen as the Government.
mastermind and architect of this pact.  Minorities in the provinces should be protected.

 All provinces should be granted autonomy

(wikipedia.org)
(Kelly, Nigel (2014). The History and Culture of Pakistan. Peak Publishing. p. 61.)
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Simon Commission (1927-1930)

 It proposed the abolition of diarchy and

the establishment of representative
government in the provinces.
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Lahor Resolution 1940

"No constitutional plan would be workable or acceptable to the

Muslims unless geographical contiguous units are demarcated
into regions which should be so constituted with such territorial
readjustments as may be necessary. That the areas in which the
Muslims are numerically in majority as in the North-Western and
Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitution
dependent states in which the constituent units shall be
autonomous and sovereign“
(AK, Fazlul Huque, on March 23, 1940. )

Coalition government 1937-1947
 Indeed there was increased Hindu
alienation under Muslim dominated
coalition rule in Bengal in the years
between 1937 and 1947.
 The resultant Hindu fear of Muslim
domination in undivided Bengal
outside the Indian Union whether a
third Dominion or a part of
Pakistan
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 Fazlul Huque 1st Cabinet(37-41)
(M=37,C=39,KPP=35)
 Fazlul Huque 2nd Cabinet(41-43)
 Nazimuddin Cabinet (43-45)
 Shrawardy Cabinet (46-47)
 General Assembly and Provincial
Council Election-1947
(M=114/250, C=86/250)
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Cripps mission 1942

 In late March 1942 by the British government,

 The mission was headed by Sir Stafford Cripps
(Finance Minstar),
 Cripps promised to give dominion status after the war
as well as elections to be held after the war.

Prof. Dr. Kazi Shahdat Kabir in GED, NUB 05/27/2024

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Cabinet Mission Plan 1946

 On January, 1946. (Loard Pethik Lourence, 3members)

The purpose of the mission was-

 Preparatory discussions with elected representatives of
British India and the Indian states in order to secure
agreement as to the method of framing the constitution.
 Setting up of a constitution body.
 Setting up an Executive Council with the support of the
main Indian parties
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Mount batten planning 1947
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Geographic partition, 1947

 Holding of notional system of voting by the members of the Hindu-majority

and Muslim-majority areas of the Bengal Legislative Assembly sitting
separately (similar procedure to be followed in the case of the Punjab);

 Referendum in the Surma Valley of Assam ie, the Sylhet district in the
North-East and the North West Frontier Province in the North-West to
determine their future;

 A Boundary Commission to demarcate the adjoining areas between the

proposed states. When the date of independence was also announced – 15
August 1947. The plan's main points were:
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Radcliffe Line

In June 1947, Britain decided to have a

boundary commission to oversee the partition. On 8
July 1947, Sir Cyrill Radcliffe, a civil servant with no
experience of South Asia came to India as chairman of
two boundary commissions and was given only five
weeks to decide on the borders.
 West Bengal East Bengal
Nadia (2/3), Muslim-61% Maldah 5 Thana 18
1. Nawabganj
Radcliffe Line 2. Shibganj
3. Nachol
4. Ghomastapur
5. Bholahat

Maldah Chittagong Hill tracts

Jessor
1. Nawhata
Murshidabad
Maldah
Sylhet to East Bengal (a
referendum held on 7 July)
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Geographic partition, 1947
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05/27/2024
Partition of India in 1947
BASED ON RELIGIOUS MAJORITY
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Was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics. This led to the
creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan. The Indian Independence Act
1947 had decided 15 August 1947 as the appointed date for the partition. However, Pakistan
came into existence a day earlier, on 14 August.
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