Question

Imagine you are a student who witnessed the protest movement organised by the people of Bengal on October 16, 1905. How did the people react to the Partition of Bengal and what was its impact?

Answer 1

People began a strong movement against the partition, known as the Anti-partition Movement.

1. The Partition of Bengal caused a major uprising that united people and political leaders.
2. The Indian National Congress and Bengal's nationalists opposed the partition. In Bengal, different groups like zamindars, merchants, lawyers, students, and women protested against the division of their province.
3. Many protest meetings were organised by leaders such as Surendranath Banerjee, Krishna Kumar Mitra, P.C. Ray, B.C. Pal, and Ananda Mohan Bose.
4. The Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists worked together during this movement.
5. Leaders criticised the partition through newspapers like Bengali, Hitabadi, and Sanjibani. They declared a day of national mourning across Bengal.
6. There was a strike in Kolkata.
7. The streets of Kolkata echoed with the cry of 'Bande Mataram,' which became the anthem of the movement.
8. Rabindranath Tagore wrote the patriotic song 'Amar Sonar Bangla' (My Golden Bengal) for the occasion, which was sung by large crowds marching in the streets.
9. The Raksha Bandhan ceremony was celebrated differently, with Hindus and Muslims tying rakhis on each other's wrists as a symbol of unity between the two halves of Bengal.
10. In the afternoon, a large demonstration took place where Ananda Mohan Bose laid the foundation of a Federation Hall to symbolise the unbreakable unity of Bengal. Everyone present took an oath to follow Swadeshi.