What was the motive of the British in Partitioning Bengal?

a. The Viceroy:

Lord Curzon was the Viceroy of India whose name is associated with the Partition of Bengal.

b. Motive of the British:

The main argument advanced by the British government in favour of the partition was administrative convenience, namely, Bengal was too big a province to be efficiently administered.

But behind the ostensible argument of administrative convenience’ the real motive of the government was political and economic.

On the basis of government papers, letters and secret documents it can be said that the expansion of Assam was necessary to the British on economic grounds.

The political motive behind the scheme of Partition was to stem the rising tide of nationalism in Bengal. By cutting out some portions of Bengal, Curzon sought to break up the political unity of the Bengalees.

This is evident from a remark of Risly that “Bengal united is a power, Bengal divided will pull several different ways”. Another motive behind the Partition was to incite the feeling of communalism.

In fact, it was for creating dissension between the Hindus and the Muslims of Bengal that the Muslim-dominated areas were separated from Bengal.

The Hindus had been reduced to a minority in the newly created province of ‘Eastern Bengal and Assam’.

Thus Curzon’s government sought to weaken the strength of Bengal by creating division between the two communities-the Hindus and the Muslims.

c. First Proposal:

Sir William Ward was the first to put forward the scheme of the Partition of Bengal in 1896. It was proposed, on the ground of bringing efficiency in administration, that Chittagong, Dacca and Mymensingh be transferred from Bengal to Assam.