Chapter 3.1: Modern History Timeline from 1900-1910

• Partition of Bengal: 1905
• Swadeshi Movement: 1905
• Swaraj: 1906
• Formation of Muslim League: 1906
• INC Split in Surat Session: 1907
• Morely-Minto Reforms (Indian Council Act): 1909

Partition of Bengal: 1905

Lord Curzon served as the Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905. During this time, Bengal became the center of nationalism in British India. The British thought that by splitting Bengal, they could control the growing nationalist movement. Another reason for the partition was to reduce the political power of the educated middle class, especially the influential Bengal intelligentsia.

The educated middle class in Bengal viewed this partition as a way to weaken their influence. Curzon argued that dividing Bengal into two regions would improve administrative efficiency. He believed that due to its large size and diversity, it was hard to manage Bengal effectively. The plan was to create two smaller provinces:

One would be Bengal, mainly Hindu in the west, and the other would be Eastern Bengal and Assam, mostly Muslim in the east. Curzon wanted a Muslim majority in East Bengal and Assam, with Dhaka as its administrative center, while West Bengal would have a Hindu majority with Calcutta as its capital. This strategy aligned with the British 'divide and rule' policy, aiming to weaken the growing nationalist movement by introducing religious and regional divisions.

The 1905 Partition of Bengal led to massive protests and unrest, sparking the Swadeshi Movement and bringing Indians together against British rule. Leaders like Surendranath Banerjee and K.K. Mitra spearheaded the anti-partition campaign, using petitions, prayers, and protests. Meetings were organized across Bengal, and a decision was made to boycott foreign goods. The day of the partition, October 16, 1905, was marked as a day of mourning throughout Bengal. People from all backgrounds joined the anti-partition movement, walking barefoot in the streets and chanting Bande Mataram. They also tied Rakhis on each other’s wrists to symbolize unity between the two parts of Bengal.

Swadeshi Movement: 1905

The decision by the British Indian government to split Bengal led to the start of the Swadeshi movement in the early 1900s. 

This movement had two main goals: 

• to encourage people to use local products and 
• to stop buying imported items. 

On August 7, 1905, the Calcutta City Hall passed a resolution to boycott Manchester cloth and Liverpool salt. 

One of the most famous volunteer groups formed during this time was the Swadesh Bandhab Samiti, created by Ashwini Kumar Dutt, a schoolteacher from Barisal. 

In Western India, Lokmanya Tilak organized the Shivaji and Ganapati festivals to help spread the ideas of the Swadeshi movement and encourage people to join the boycott. The Swadeshi Movement also led to the rise of a new group of leaders known as the extremists, who used more radical and forceful methods to fight against British rule. 

Important figures like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai became key leaders during this time, pushing for stronger resistance against colonialism.

SWARAJ 

The Indian National Congress (INC) agreed that Swaraj, or Self-Governance, should be the main goal, and this decision was made during the Calcutta session under the leadership of Dada Bhai Naroji.

Formation of Muslim League

• On October 1, 1906, a delegation of 35 Indian Muslims, led by Aga Khan III, had an audience with Governor General Lord Minto in Shimla. 
• During this meeting, Lord Minto urged the Indian Muslims to establish their own distinct political party. 
• Subsequently, on December 30, 1906, Aga Khan III and Viqar-ul-Mulk convened prominent leaders in Dhaka to create a new organization aimed at promoting the welfare of Indian Muslims, which was named the "All India Muslim League." 
• This organization was formed as a counter to the Indian National Congress, with the objective of advocating for the interests of Indian Muslims. 
• Sultan Muhammad Shah, also known as Aga Khan III, was appointed as the inaugural honorary president of the League. In 1913, Mohammed Ali Jinnah became a member of the Muslim Alliance.

Objectives:

• The Muslim community in India sought to express their loyalty and support for the British Government through the establishment of the All India Muslim League. 
• This organization aimed to protect the rights of Muslims, ensuring their access to equal opportunities in education and employment within the government sector. 
• The All India Muslim League provided effective coordination with the British authorities. 
• The formation of this party was a response to the necessity for increased Muslim political engagement in British India. 
• Following a series of protests organized by the Muslim League in India and their advocacy efforts in London, the Indian Councils Act ultimately conceded to the League's requests for separate electorates and designated seats. 
• The Muslim League played a pivotal role in the movement advocating for the division of British India into separate Muslim and Hindu states.

INC Split in Surat Session: 1907

Causes 

Firstly, there was a fundamental divergence in the perspectives of the Moderates and the Extremists concerning the Anti-Partition Movement. Additionally, the four resolutions adopted during the Calcutta session lacked clarity and specificity. In 1906, discussions initiated by Morley and Minto regarding new council reforms with the Moderates led to a significant shift; the Moderates expressed a desire to abandon the Swadeshi boycott and the promotion of national education.

Moreover, the competition for the presidency during the Calcutta session was escalating. The Extremists contended that the Moderates' loyalty would hinder the achievement of the Indian Freedom Struggle's objectives. This rising influence of the Extremists instilled a sense of apprehension among the Moderates regarding their own relevance and survival within the party.

In light of these tensions, a Congress session convened on December 26, 1907, along the banks of the Tapti River in Surat, resulting in a division within the Indian National Congress, which is historically referred to as the "Surat Split," with 1,600 delegates in attendance.

Actions

• After the Surat Split in 1907, the government began to take strict actions against the Extremists. Between 1907 and 1911, several laws were introduced to control anti-government activities. 
• These included the Seditious Meetings Act of 1907, the Indian Newspapers (Incitement and Offences Act) of 1908, the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1908, and the Indian Press Act of 1910. 
• B.G. Tilak was imprisoned in Mandalay for six years, while Lala Lajpat Rai traveled to Britain. Aurobindo Ghosh decided to leave politics and focus on religious work in Pondicherry. 
• The government also adopted a new tactic called ‘Divide and Rule.’ For instance, the reforms of 1909 were designed to confuse the moderates and win over the Muslim community. 
• Without the Extremists, the moderates struggled to maintain their popularity and lost the trust and support of their followers.

Causes of Failure:

The Surat Split of Congress had some big problems. 

First, the Moderates completely rejected the Swaraj resolution. Then, there were major differences in how the Moderates and Extremists wanted to work. Also, the idea of having a minority and majority within Congress made it easier for the British to control the nationalists. Lastly, the Moderates still believed in the British government, which caused more issues.

The Surat Split played a big role in the 1909 Minto-Morley Reform.

Morely-Minto Reforms (Indian Council Act)

The Indian Councils Act of 1909, which is often called the Morley-Minto Reforms, along with the Government of India Act from 1919, based on the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, were important laws that tried to make changes in how India was governed while it was under British control.

Important Points of the Indian Councils Act, 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms)  

• Separate Electorates: Muslims were given their own separate electorates, which meant they could choose representatives only from their own community.  
• More Members: The Central Legislative Council grew to include 60 members, and the provincial councils also got more members.  
• Indian Involvement: For the first time, Indians were included in the Viceroy’s Executive Council, with Satyendra Prasad Sinha being the first Indian to take on this role.  
• Non-official Majority in Provinces: Provincial legislative councils could have more non-official members than official ones.  
• Member Rights: Members had the ability to talk about the budget, propose resolutions, and ask follow-up questions, but there were some limits on this.

The Act was a small move towards giving Indians a voice, but it mostly benefited the British. The separate electorates created divisions among communities. Even though there were some elected representatives, the voting rights were restricted, and the British still held most of the power. This was a planned approach to calm down moderate leaders, control extreme views, and split Indian society.