The Spirit of Unity

In 1905 the British decided to partition Bengal into two - West Bengal for the Hindus and East Bengal for Muslims. The reason that the British gave was that Bengal was too large a State to be administered easily. But the people of Bengal knew the truth. The British were trying to destroy the unity of the people of Bengal.

When the British announced the partition, the people of Bengal showed their unity by fasting. People came out on streets and sang patriotic songs. Hindus and Muslims tied rakhi on each other's wrist as a symbol of their unity.They decided to use swadeshi (Indian) goods an boycott foreign goods. 

People came out into the streets and made bonfires of the foreign goods. Students picketed shops selling foreign clothes. Many women joined the movement too. The Movement was so effective that the British were finally forced to reunite Bengal in 1911.

[ However, in 1947, Bengal was partitioned for the second time, solely on religious grounds, as part of the Partition of India following the formation of the nations India and Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan, and in 1971 became the independent state of Bangladesh after a successful war of independence with West Pakistan in the partition of Bengal congress leaders also supported this revolt.]

- Extracted from ICSE Syllabus