British Raj: Noble Role of Assam’s Sons of the Soil in the Bengal Partition, 1905

Monjit Narayan Deka

On 31st December, 1600 East India Company was granted as royal charter by the British Queen Elizabeth-I as the company of Merchants of London to trading with the East Indies to establish a presence in the lucrative Indian spice trade monopolized by Spain and Portugal.

It gained foothold in India with the establishment of a factory (temporary) in Masulipatnam in 1611 in the Coromandal coast of the Bay of Bengal. The first permanent British factory was established in 1615 at Surat by the grant of right to establish factory by the Mughal emperor Jahangir. Then the Company started to set up factories (trading post) in several locations mostly in coastal India.

The company settled down to a trade in Spices, Cotton, Silk, Indigo dye, Saltpeter, Sugar, Tea and later on in Opium. Beginning of 1620 the East India Company began using slave labour and transporting enslaved people to its facilities.

The decisive victory at the battle of Plessey in 1757 against the forces of nawab of Bengal, the East India Company gained control of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, which marks the beginning of Company’s rule in India.

British Raj: Noble Role of Assam’s Sons of the Soil in the Bengal Partition, 1905

The signing of Treaty of Allahabad in 1765, after the defeat of the Mughal at the battle of Buxar in 1764, the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II granted Diwani (right to collect revenue) to the East India Company over Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.

This provided funds to bolster the Company’s military presence in the sub-continent. Further territorial acquisitions in India up to early nineteen century elevated the Company’s role from mere trader to a hybrid sovereign power to create the laws and levy taxes.

The Sepoy Mutiny (the First Indian war of Independence) in 1857, due to the rebellion of the Indian Army at Barrackpore and the Government of India Act 1858, led to the British Government taking over direct administration of India. The Company lost all its administrative powers and finally dissolved by the parliament of United Kingdom in 1874.

The administrative structure of British rule in India consisted of provinces and regions. The significant provinces under British rule were Bengal Presidency, Bombay Presidency, Madras Presidency, United Province, Punjab, Central Province and Berar.

Under British rule the Bengal presidency was the vast one among all other administrative units sprawling over, besides Bihar and Orissa, the entire Bangladesh of the present day. The failure of Sir C. Bedon to cope with Orissa famine in 1866 had drawn public attention to the inherent defects of the system. In 1871 Sir George Campbell, President of the Famine Commission has proposed major changes in the method of governing of Bengal an entire departure from the laissez-faire existing policy.

This completely transformed the character of the administration and rendered it impossible to defer any longer the formation of separate Chief Commissionership of Assam proposed by Lord Lawrence in 1868. Lord Curzon viceroyalty sought territorial reconstruction of the province of Bengal by transferring a big chunk to the neighboring, economically backward and poor administrative province of Assam.

On 3rd December, 1903 from the Government of India’s letter to His Majesty’s Secretary of state for India wrote “….. To the pressing necessity for affording to the Government of Bengal some substantial relief from constantly increasing burden imposed up on by the vast population entrusted to the administration and by the growth of important industrial and commercial interest. …. We have arrived after anxious consideration of the large and important group of problems involved and the grounds upon which they are based are fully stated in the letters to the local governments concerned…The question of territorial and administrative redistribution in India is, indeed, in our judgment one of the most urgent and vital of the many problems for which we are at present endeavoring to find a solution.”

On 2nd February 1905 the letter from the Government of India to His Majesty’s Secretary State for India further stated “We have now the honour to address you further on the important question of reconstruction of Bengal ……..for affording substantial relief to the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. ….. Of the area now under the Lieutenant Governor the greater portion was included in the grant of the Dewani of Bengal, Bihar and the tract of the then known as Orissa to the East India Company in 1765. The province was enlarged by the addition of Orissa proper in 1803 and of Assam in 1824. From that until the present time the jurisdiction of Bengal has remained unaltered, except the reduction effected by the creation of the Chief Commissionership of Assam in 1874 and the transfer of the South Lushai Hills in 1898. ….. In dealing with this mass of business his difficulties are aggravated and the burden of work is added to by the notoriously litigious spirit of the people which grows with the advance of popular education, by the criticism of the Press, by the aptitude of the educated class in Bengal for public agitation and by the extensive and searching use that is made of the right of interpellation in the Legislative council”. Sir George Campbell wrote in his well-known Administrative Report of 1871-72 – “It is totally impossible that any man can properly perform single-handed the work of this great government”.

This led to consideration of the territorial redistribution in India to reduce the population of Bengal from 78⅟2 to 60⅟2 millions by transferring Chittagong Division, Hill Tipperah, Dacca and Mymensingh to Assam and Chutia Nagpur to the central province, while at the same time it was proposed to add certain territory from the Central Provinces and Madras with the object of bringing all the Uriya-speaking population under a single Government.

This proposal given rise to objection, by the people of Bengal, laid the greatest stress were the loss of a Lieutenant-Governor, the deprivation of a Legislative Council, and the removal of the jurisdiction of the Board of Revenue and possibly of the High Court, the Backwardness of Assam, and loss of educational advantage and facilities of employment and loss of commercial and financial interest, and the Zamindars find their properties and commercial connections was thus placed under two different Governments.

The Bengal Government’s letter of 6th April, 1904 expressed to transfer more areas to reduce the population of Bengal to 54 millions, to cover greater part of Jute cultivation area, avoid the necessity for breaking up Commissioners’ Division. Sir Andrew Fraser’s letter of the 12th September, 1904, in which he abandons the view provisionally expressed in his letter of 6th April, 1904 and strongly deprecates the transfer of this territory.

“In the memorial submitted by the public meeting held at the Town Hall in Calcutta on the 18thMarch, 1904….who are opposed to any reconstruction of the province, it is urged that the Lieutenant Governorship should be converted into a Governorship with an Executive council, and the authority of Sir Stafford Northcote is cited in support of the proposal.” Raja Peary Mohun Mookerjee, C.S.I., Chairman of the meeting forwarded the resolution-“That these proposals are viewed with grave and widespread alarm by the people of this province and have given rise to an agitation unparalleled in its history. An opposition, strong and so universal, should not be ignored.”

“The Chief Commissioner of Assam mentions as an additional argument in favour of the proposed boundary that it will include almost the whole of the area over which the Tibeto-Burman tribes known collectively as Bodos have extended”.

The noble sons of the soil of Assam took leading role to raise the opinion of the people of Assam before His Majesty, on extension of territorial jurisdiction of Assam, to secure the sovereignty of Assam.
 The letter dated Gauripur, the 15th February 1904, from Raja Prabhat Chandra Barua, President, Assam Association; Gauripur forwarded the unanimously adopted resolutions in the meeting of the 7 branch associations held on 14th February 1904 signed by 16 gentlemen.
“*That the Association is of opinion that, even in the event of the proposed changes taking place, the new province thus constituted cannot have a self-contained Civil Service which will attract its members and that the Association is at one with the arguments advanced by Sir Henry Cotton, the late Chief Commissioner of Assam, in his official minutes of the year 1897 on the subject of annexation of Chittagong Division to Assam.
*That the Division of Chittagong need not be added to Assam to give the province a port, in as much as the improved means of communication between Assam and Chittagong is offering her the same advantages whether the Chittagong is within the province or not.

*That the meeting is of the opinion that the Bengal form of administration is too highly developed, too legalised, and too impersonal for such a backward province of Assam, and it apprehends that the cause of Assam and the interest of her people will greatly suffer if the highly-advanced districts of Dacca and Mymensingh be annexed at present to her territorial jurisdiction when her people have not attain to such a position as to stand without the protection, special privileges, and parental care of the Government.
*That the meeting apprehends that by the proposed territorial change the historic name of Assam will be obliterated for ever, her language suffer, and the removal of the seat of Government to a place outside Assam proper and further away from the geographical center will necessarily make her lose the amount of care and attention which it at present receives from the Government.
*Among the Branch Associations, the Dibrugarh Branch suggested that Chittagong may be added to the advantage of Assam…….if territorial redistribution is necessary at all for the efficient form of Government in Assam and to lighten the excessive burden of Bengal Government it may be better effected by annexing Rangpur, Kuch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and some parts of Bogra district to Assam, as the inhabitants of those places are identical in race, religion and language with those of lower Assam, which is contiguous to them.

Bengal Partition 1 — A refugee special train at Ambala Station. The carriages are full and the refugees seek room on top.

 Raj Jagannath Barua Bahadur, President , Jorhat Sarbajanik Sabha wrote letter dated Jorhat,10 February, 1904 to forward on behalf of Sabha the observations of the General Meeting:

“The province of Assam proper, before her separation from Bengal, occupied a most distant corner of the territories of the Bengal Government, when the supervision from the seat of Government was necessarily of a most nominal character, and the interest taken for the improvement and development of the province was markedly inadequate. To remedy this state of things a Chief Commissionership was formed in 1874, with the view that the seat of Government being in Assam proper, a close supervision could be exercised, and all means for improving the backward condition of the province would be adopted with an intimate knowledge of the local conditions. As Assam proper was too small an administrative unit, the two districts of Sylhet and Cachar having great deal of similarity were brought in, as they lay in the immediate neighbourhood. The Chief Commissionership has been in existence exactly 30 years, and the whole attention of the Local Government has been bestowed on the affairs of the province. It must be thankfully acknowledged that great improvement has been effected in communications, in education, in cultivation, and in various other ways; but great deal yet remain to be done to remove the application of the word “backward” which has been constantly used by our friends in Bengal and even rightly by Government. Assam came into the hands of the British Government in 1826, and she was almost neglected for fifty years, and now, when the Local Government has settled into working order……..it is proposed to extend the territories and bringing in other highly-educated and advanced districts. The result will be that Assam proper will secure only a small fraction of the Chief Commissioner’s attention,….In fact, Assam will most likely share so much of attention of the proposed new Local Government as she did of Bengal Government in the olden days.” The advantages of the Assam-Bengal Railway, complete Civil Service and natural outlet the Chittagong port pointed out by the Government of India, Sabha expressed-“do not appear to be real or of a solid character.”….”If, however, the Government are determined to add the Chittagong Division to Assam, the Jorhat Sarbajanik Sabha would most respectfully urge that the name “Assam” should be retained for the new province. ……It does not appear to the Sabha how the well-known and easily pronounced name “Assam” may tend to lower the status or the civilization of any people. …….in case of the addition of above division is made, all the inferior appointments in Assam proper should be entirely reserved to the Assamese and at least about 75 per cent of the superior appointments be likewise reserved to the Assamese. As regards the addition to Assam of the Districts of Dacca and Mymensingh…. Jorhat Sarbajanik Sabha also believes that they represent the feeling of the Assam people when they say that they are also equally opposed to such an addition. When the question of recognizing the Assamese language was under consideration and when the appointments in the services of Assam are claimed by
Bengalis, it was argued all along that the two languages were one and two people were one, but now, when the question of uniting a portion of Bengal with Assam has arisen, the Assamese language is declared to be entirely different language and the Assamese people are relegated to the level of Lushais and other hill tribes. ……Jorhat Sarbajanik Sabha would respectfully submit that it will not be sound statesmanship to disregard the strong public feeling on this subject.”

 Note by Srijut Manik Chandra Baruah dated Gauhati, 27th February 1904, has placed his opinion:
“The territorial re-distribution based up on administrative convenience is a matter which Government alone can decide. But the public have, we believe, a right to say whether the change contemplated will interfere with their cherished rights and privileges and thus place them at a disadvantages. Ample and exhaustive representations have been made by our Bengali friends on the subject, and to which it will, we think, be both superfluous and impertinent for us to allude. But there is one argument used by them which we cannot pass unnoticed. It so revolts against all common sense, and it so infringes every canon of decorum, that we wander that it should have been used by people foremost in intelligence and civilization, and who profess to be the leaders of such a grand movement as the Congress. Indeed, it is impossible to conceive an argument more selfish, more narrow minded more dishonourable, or more dishonest. What do our Bengali friends mean by saying that Assam is a backward province, the people are not enlightened, and therefore they do not like to be mixed up with the savages? Do they not remember that, about 30 years ago, Assam was a part and parcel of Bengal, and that it was under the same Lieutenant- Governor? Do they not also remember that when high-minded ruler, Sir George Campbell, introduced “Assamese,” the language of the people of Assam, into Assam, a hue and cry was raised by the Bengalees, saying that “Assamese” was not a language, and that it was a mere jargon of Bengali, and do they not now, in the same breath, say that, “Assamese” is quite a separate language? Did they not also say which they now deny, that in manner and customs the people of Assam did not differ from those of Bengal and that the object of Government was only to “divide and rule”? Did not the “Hindu Patriot” exclaimed the Assamese language as the “Assam Bengali”, and did not the “Amrita Bazar Patrika” write long leaders denouncing what Sir George Campbell had done? Was not the Maharaja Sir Jotindro Mohon Tagore, K.C.S.I., a class friend of the late Anandoram Dhekial Phukan, and was not the Maharaja all admiration for the sterling qualities of head and heart of Mr. Phukan? Did not the highly-distinguished officer, General Henry Hopkinson, C.S.I., who was very friendly towards Assamese, declare that this Assamese genius – Anandoram Dhekial Phukan- was a more extraordinary man than even Rammohon Roy? Has the Civil Service been able to produce a greater scholar than the late Anandoram Barooah? …… Is it not practically saying this- that because the Assamese are backward, let them remain so and let them be trodden down by their more advanced neighbours?
…… If however, adequate provisions can be made by the Government (which no doubt they can easily do) to secure to the following concessions and advantages, it is quite immaterial to them whether they are under a Chief Commissionership or a Lieutenant-Governor or a Governor:-
*That 80 per cent of the appointments……be exclusively reserved for and given only to the indigenous people to the exclusion of the foreign element, including the domiciled people.
*That the facilities be given to the indigenous people to enter, in large numbers, the Forest Department, the Postal Department, the Telegraph Department and the several Railways in the province
*That in the six Valley districts, Vice Chairman in the Municipalities and Local Boards be either Assamese or European gentlemen, and the overseers, Accountants, and other servants and as well as the contractors, be, as far as possible Assamese.
*That the second grade college at Gauhati be raised to a first grade one with a law class attached to it, that the present liberal scale of scholarship be maintained, and that a better hostel be secured.
*That the spread of education be liberally encouraged, and that inducement be offered to authors to write good books in Assamese.
*That the people should not be deprived of the privileges of the control of the Calcutta High Court.
*That Military Officers in civil employ be not only retained in the province; but placed on the same footing with that of their Civilian brethren.
*That whenever any Member required to be sent from Assam to the Viceregal Council, a competent Assamese be selected for the purpose.
*That in the event of a Local Council being constituted Assam proper should be fairly represented in it.
*That a first grade Judge (instead of a second grade one, as is the case now) be entertained, that his jurisdiction be extended to the Mikir Hills and Shillong; that all session cases, including those that were tried before by the Deputy Commissioners under the special power, be tried, as now, by jury, and that two Subordinate Judges, be appointed for the province.
*That the District Superintendents of Police be abolished and the Deputy Commissioners be placed in charge of the same.
……. If the Assamese could remain as a nation from the earliest period of the British Rule down to the year 1874, i.e. nearly half a century, when the province was under the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, surely they can, with better reason, stand so now: the only encouragement and support they require is the fostering care, attention, and help from the paternal Government”.

 Note dated 31st March 1904 by Babu Kamini Kumar Chanda Pleader, Silchar:
“…… My opinion is therefore necessarily based on somewhat narrow and parochial grounds, though if I were to consider it from even the view point of the whole of my race and nation I would still more strongly opposed to it”.

Resolution of the Government of India in the Home Department Dated the 19th July 1905: Proclamation:-
“The Governor-General is pleased to constitute the territories at present under the administration of the Chief Commissioner of Assam …… and to direct that the said Province shall be called and known as the Province of Eastern Bengal and Assam, and further to appoint a Lieutenant-Governor of that Province.
2.The Governor-General in Council is further pleased to specify the sixteenth day of October one thousand nine hundred and five as the period at which the said provisions shall take effect, and fifteen as the number of Councilors whom the Lieutenant- Governor may nominate for his assistance in making laws and regulations.

The Governor-General in Council is further pleased to declare and appoint that upon the constitution of the said province of Eastern Bengal and Assam the Districts of Ducca, Mymenshing, Faridpur, Backergaunge, Tippera, Noakhali, Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, Rangpur, Bogra, Pabna and Malda, which now form part of the Bengal Division of the Presidency ……..shall henceforth be subject to and included within the limits of the Lieutenant-Governorship of the Province of Eastern Bengal and Assam”. The proclamation ignited prairie fire in Bengal. In protest renowned Poet, Novelist and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore made it compulsory for every individual to tie “Rakhi”, especially to Muslims to emphasize inter-religion bonds. His writings and speeches galvanized wide spread demonstrations in Bengal. The partition of Bengal (Bȏnggȏbhȏnggȏ), acted as catalyst to the Swadeshi movement to reject import of British goods, and succeeded in creating a communal rift in the country and even contributed to the birth of Muslim League in 1906.

‡ Ref: Report on Bengal and Assam published under the authority of the Government of India (First Reprinted in 1983)

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