Partition of Bengal & Swadeshi — Set 2

Correct Answer: B. 1905

The Partition of Bengal was announced by Lord Curzon on July 19, 1905 and came into effect on October 16, 1905. The partition divided Bengal into East Bengal and Assam with a Muslim majority and West Bengal with a Hindu majority. The British claimed administrative reasons but Indians saw it as a divide and rule policy. It sparked the Swadeshi movement and massive nationalist agitation.

Correct Answer: C. October 16

The Partition of Bengal came into effect on October 16, 1905. This date was observed by Bengalis as a day of mourning. People tied Rakhi threads to each other to symbolize Hindu-Muslim unity. The day became associated with the beginning of the Swadeshi movement and anti-partition protests.

Correct Answer: C. Lord Curzon

Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, ordered the Partition of Bengal in 1905. He justified it on administrative grounds saying Bengal was too large to administer as one unit. But nationalists saw it as a deliberate attempt to divide Hindus and Muslims. The partition became a major turning point in the Indian independence movement.

Correct Answer: C. 1911

The Partition of Bengal was annulled in 1911 by the British government. The annulment was announced at the Delhi Durbar of December 1911. Simultaneously, the capital of India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. The annulment was seen as a victory for the Swadeshi movement and nationalist protests.

Correct Answer: B. Partition of Bengal 1905

The Swadeshi movement started as a direct response to the Partition of Bengal in 1905. Indians protested the partition by boycotting British goods and promoting Indian-made products. The word 'Swadeshi' means 'of one's own country'. The movement became one of the most important economic protests in the Indian freedom struggle.

Correct Answer: B. Surendranath Banerjee

Surendranath Banerjee was among the first to give the call for boycott of British goods during the anti-partition movement. He organized public meetings to protest the partition. The boycott movement began on October 16, 1905 when the partition came into effect. The movement spread rapidly across Bengal and then to other parts of India.

Correct Answer: C. Amar Sonar Bangla

Rabindranath Tagore composed 'Amar Sonar Bangla' (My Golden Bengal) as a protest against the Partition of Bengal in 1905. This song later became the national anthem of Bangladesh. Tagore was deeply moved by the partition and participated actively in the Swadeshi movement. He also composed several other songs of protest during this period.

Correct Answer: B. An alternative to British-controlled educational institutions

The Bengal National College was established in 1906 as an alternative to British-controlled educational institutions. It was part of the National Education movement, one of the four pillars of the Swadeshi agitation. Aurobindo Ghosh served as its principal. The college aimed to provide education free from British control and instill nationalist values in students.

Correct Answer: A. Dadabhai Naoroji

Dadabhai Naoroji had used the concept of Swadeshi in his economic analysis of British drain of wealth from India. However the term gained political significance during the 1905 anti-partition movement. Naoroji's concept of economic drain provided the intellectual basis for the boycott of British goods. The Swadeshi movement built on his analysis of how British rule harmed Indian industries.

Correct Answer: C. 1906

The Calcutta Congress session of 1906 formally adopted the four resolutions on Swaraj, Swadeshi, Boycott and National Education. Dadabhai Naoroji presided over this important session. The adoption of these resolutions marked a significant shift in Congress politics. The extremists had been pushing for these demands while the moderates had been more cautious.