Modern History and Popular Movements in West Bengal 27

Prominent Derozians are Krishna Under his leadership, Brahmo Samaj

Mohan Banerjee, Sib Chandra Deb, established its branches in different
Hara Chandra Ghosh, Ramgopal parts of the country. Keshab Chandra
Ghosh, Ramtanu Lahiri, Rasik Krishna Sen joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1858
Mallick, Peary Chand Mitra, and became Acharya. Under his
Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee, Radhanath dynamic leadership its branches were
Sikdar etc. opened outside Bengal, in the Uttar
Pradesh, the Punjab, Bombay, Madras
Brahmo Samaj and other towns.
Brahmo Samaj was one of the most But his liberal and cosmopolitan
rigorous reformist movements outlook brought about a split in the
responsible for the making of modern Brahmo Samaj. Keshab Chandra Sen
India. In 1828, it was founded in and his followers left Samaj in 1866 and
Calcutta by Raja Rammohan Roy. formed the Brahmo Samaj of India.
The Brahmo Samaj does not accept the Debendranath’s Samaj henceforth came
authority of the Vedas, has no faith in to be known as the Adi Brahmo Samaj.
avatars (incarnations) and does not insist
on belief in Karma (casual effects of past Vedanta Movement or
deeds) and samsara (the process of death Ramakrishna Movement
and rebirth). The Brahmo dharma Ramakrishna Mission is an organisation
discards Hindu rituals and adopts some which forms the core of a worldwide
Christian practices in its worships. spiritual movement known as the
It denounces polytheism, image worship Ramakrishna Movement or the Vedanta
and the caste system. It adopts some Movement. It was founded by Swami
good aspects of every religion like Islam, Vivekananda on 1st May, 1897 at Belur
Christianity, etc. Rammohan Roy Math in Howrah, West Bengal.
wanted to reform Hinduism. His The mission conducts extensive work in
successor Debendranath Tagore believed healthcare, disaster relief, rural
in Vedic authority and making reason management, tribal welfare, elementary
and intuition as the basis of and higher education and culture. The
Brahmanism. mission bases its work on the principles
He founded Tattwabodhini Sabha in of Karma Yoga.
1839 as a small group of the Brahmo It aims at the harmony of religions and
Samaj but in 1859, it was dissolved back promoting peace and equality for all
into Brahmo Samaj by him. He tried to humanity. It subscribes to the ancient
retain some of the traditional Hindu Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. The
customs. He also condemned idol Vedanta Movement prospered
worship, discouraged pilgrimages, principally through Ramakrishna’s
ceremonies and penances among the disciple Swami Vivekananda.
Brahmos.
 28 Know Your State WEST BENGAL

Swadeshi Movement Dhaka Anushilan Samiti It took a

radical programme and broke with the
The Swadeshi Movement had its Jugantar group in West Bengal due to
genesis in the anti-partition movement differences with Aurobindo’s approach of
which started with the partition of slowly building a mass base for further
Bengal by the Viceroy of India, Lord revolution. In 1911, Dhaka Anushilan
Curzon. This movement started in Samiti took revenge and shot dead
Bengal in 1905 and continued till 1911. sub-inspector Raj Kumar and Inspector
This movement marked the beginning Man Mohan Ghosh. This was followed by
of new form of mobilisation. It gave a the assassination of CID Head Constable
new orientation to the politics through Shrish Chandra Dey in Calcutta.
its policies of boycott, passive resistance,
mass agitation, etc. Jugantar Anushilan Samiti It was led by
leaders like Aurobindo Ghosh, Barindra
It was the most successful movement of Ghosh, Bagha Jatin ( Jatindranath
the Pre-Gandhian era. Its chief Mukherjee), etc. In February 1911,
architects were Aurobindo Ghosh, members of Jugantar Anushilan Samiti
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin bombed a car in Calcutta. During the
Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai, etc. 1912 transfer of the imperial capital to
Ashwini Kumar Dutta founded New Delhi, Viceroy Charles Harding’s
Swadesh Bandhab Samiti to promote Howdah was bombed, his mahout was
the consumption of indigenous products killed and Lady Hardinge was injured.
and boycott foreign goods.
Alipore Bomb Case
Formation of Muslim In 1908, the revolutionaries in Bengal
League and Anushilan planned to kill the Chief Presidency
Magistrate DH Kingsford of Muzaffarpur.
Samiti Instead of Kingsford, two English women
The Muslim League was founded in the were killed. Kingsford had been in a
year 1906 in Bengal. It was the first similar carriage just behind them and was
thus saved. The trial of this conspiracy was
organisation of the Islamic community
held in Alipore Court. The Alipore Bomb
fighting for independence in India. case, also known as Muraripukur
The Anushilan Samiti was founded in Conspiracy or the Manicktala Bomb
1906 by Pramathanath Mitra. The Conspiracy, was the trial of a number of
revolutionaries of the Anushilan Samiti in
Samiti challenged British rule in India
Calcutta. The trial was held under the
by engaging in militant nationalism.
charges of waging war against the
They started accumulating arms and government of the British Raj held at
ammunitions and also made indigenous Alipore session court between May 1908
bombs to attack the Britishers. They and May 1909. Aurobindo Ghosh and
also attempted to procure German arms. other 17 revolutionaries were acquitted,
Anushilan Samiti had two prominent Ullaskar Dutt and Barindra Kumar Ghosh
branches known as Dhaka Anushilan first got ‘death by hanging’ punishment,
later it transformed into life imprisonment
Samiti centred in Dhaka and Jugantar
and were set to Cellular Jail in Andaman.
Anushilan Samiti centred at Calcutta.
Modern History and Popular Movements in West Bengal 29

The Communist Movement In 1914, the Bengali and Assamese

students of Maulana Sayyid Miyan
in Bengal Nadhir Husain formed Bengal and
In 1930s, Bengal was one of the main Assam wings of ‘Anjuman-i-Hadith’.
centres of activity of the Communist Since 1916, the organisation has been
Party of India. During the period of regarded as a branch of the All India
1930s to 1940s, Communist Movement Ahl-e-Hadith Conference. The ‘Nikhil
in Bengal took a definite shape. The Banga and Assam Jami’at-e-Hadith’ was
most prominent communist movement formed at Calcutta in 1946 under the
was the Tebhaga movement which was leadership of Maulana Abdullahil Kafi
initiated by the Kisan Sabha of Bengal (1900-1960). After 1947, the
in 1946. It was the share cropper’s headquarters of the organisation was
movement demanding two-thirds of the shifted from Calcutta to Pabna. The
produce from land for themselves and ‘Anjuman-e-Ahl-e-Hadith’ was formed
one-third for the landlords. Tebhaga in West Bengal in 1951.
literally means ‘three shares’ of harvests.
The movement resulted in clashes Khadya Andolan (Food
between Jotedars and Bargadars. Movement)
Ahl-e-Hadith Movement The Food Movement of 1959 was the
turning point in the history of class
Ahl-e-Hadith are the adherents of struggle in West Bengal. The food
Shariah based on hadith and sunnah. insecurity had reached alarming
Inspired by the ways of life of the early proportions in rural and urban areas. On
generation of Muslims, the members of 31st August, 1959, a huge mass
Ahl-e-Hadith launched the movement demonstration was organised in
in second half of the nineteenth century Calcutta where hundreds and thousands
for reviving Islam on the basis of its arrived from the villages under the
fundamental principles. As a religious leadership of Kisan Sabha. At the end of
revivalist movement, Ahl-e-Hadith is the meeting, 80 people died and many
committed to the practice of the sunnah were wounded by the violent action
of the great Prophet Muhammad. taken by police. The effect of Food
According to Allama Abul Hasan Ali Movement was so intense that it
Nadwi the Ahl-e-Hadith movement in changed the political scenario of the
India has been founded on four pillars state. It did not only ensure a steady
i.e. belief in pure Unitarianism, the decline in Congress support in the state
Sunnah of the great Prophet but also became one of the factors that
Muhammad, enthusiasm for jihad or led to the split of the Communist Party
holy war and submission to Allah. of India (CPI). In 1964, the Communist
Ahl-e-Hadith insists on taking all Movement in West Bengal suffered a
decisions on the basis of the major set back as the Communist Party
holy Quran and Hadith and not by of India split into two parties. A new
applying the methodology of Qiyas or party the Communist Party of India
analogy. (Marxist) was founded.
 30 Know Your State WEST BENGAL

Naxalbari Movement In 1978 registration of names of

sharecroppers started in an
The peasant revolt in Naxalbari started unprecedented scale under the name of
in 1972, in Darjeeling district of West ‘Operation Barga’ introduced by the Left
Bengal. It was mainly led by local tribals Front Government. In 1979, the Left
and the radical communist leaders of Front Government came under serious
Bengal. This event created split in the criticism when the massacre in
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Marichjhapi took place due to the
and the Communist Party of India forcible eviction of refugees. Jyoti Basu
(Marxist-Leninist) was born. served as the Chief Minister of West
The Naxalbari Movement tried to Bengal from 1977 to 2000. In 2000,
protect the interests of the peasant and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee took over as
the labouring classes and cover all ethnic Chief Minister.
(including tribes) and caste groups. The
leader preached for developing militancy Singur Movement
on the peasant front and prepared the Tata Motor announced the small car
peasants for an armed struggle. factory in Singur on 18th May, 2006.
The uprising got moral support from Just after two months, the Trinamool
the communists of Nepal and China. Congress (founded on 1st January, 1998
The prominent leaders of this by Mamata Banerjee) started protesting
movement were Charu Mazumdar, the issue. The protest had turned
Kanu Sanyal, Jangal Santhal, Mahadev turbulent as many of the internationally
Mukherjee, Vinod Mishra, Dipankar framed social activists and Bengali
Bhattacharya, etc. intellectuals like, Medha Patkar,
Arundhuti Roy, Mahasweta Devi
First Left Front Government protested against the allocation of factory
site which was fertile multi-crop land.
The Left Front, an alliance of the
Communist Party of India (Marxist), Tata Motors decided to move out from
All India Forward Bloc, the Singur on in October 2008. In 2011,
Revolutionary Socialist Party, the Trinamool Congress won the Legislative
Marxist Forward Bloc etc) won 243 Assembly election. Mamata Banerjee
seats in the assembly election of West became the Chief Minister. Again in
Bengal in 1977 and the CPIM emerged 2016 Legislative Assembly election,
as the largest party. The first Left Front TMC retained its majority. ‘Ma Mati
Government was formed with Jyoti Manush’ (Mother, Motherland and
Basu as its Chief Minister. People) is the main slogan of All India
Trinamool Congress.
Modern History and Popular Movements in West Bengal 31

MULTIPLE CHOICE
QUESTIONS
1 The East India Company got Diwani of 7 After the partition of Bengal (1905), the
Bengal on [WBCS Prelims 2010] two new provinces which came into
(a) 12th August, 1765 existence were
(b) 14th May, 1765 (a) East Bengal and Bengal
(c) 12th August, 1764 (b) East Bengal and West Bengal
(d) 14th June, 1764 (c) East Bengal and Assam
2 The Dual Administration System which (d) East Bengal and North Bengal
was called Nizamat, caused the drain of 8 What was the effective date of the partition
wealth of Bengal in just three years. The of Bengal? [WBCS Pre 2015]
system was introduced by which of the (a) 16th October, 1905
Governors? (b) 29th March, 1901
(a) Sir Vansittart (c) 22nd July, 1911
(b) Robert Clive (d) 14th August, 1946
(c) Sir Verelst
(d) Lord Warren Hastings 9 When was East Bengal created?
(a) 1971 (b) 1954
3 Who is responsible for the introduction of (c) 1947 (d) 1905
civil services in India?
[WBCS Prelims 2011] 10 Bengal was partitioned twice in history.
(a) Lord Cornwallis Which were the two years in which
(b) Lord Ripon partition of Bengal took place?
(c) Lord Warren Hastings (a) 1911 and 1971
(d) None of the above (b) 1905 and 1942
(c) 1906 and 1912
4 Lord Cornwallis introduced the permanent (d) 1905 and 1947
settlement in Bengal in
[WBPCS Prelims 2011, 12] 11 In which year was the Bangladesh
(a) 1780 (b) 1793 (c) 1794 (d) 1785 Liberation War held?
(a) 1975 (b) 1961 (c) 1971 (d) 1973
5 The School of Musketry was established in
place of Dum Dum headquarters of Bengal 12 Ranu Khan is a leader of
Artillery. The School of Musketry was (a) Chakma revolt
established for (b) Chuar rebellion
(a) providing training for usage of Enfield (c) Sathal rebellion
Rifle (d) None of the above
(b) for managing the Barrackpore 13 Name the leader of Fakir-Sannyasi
Cantonment rebellion.
(c) for establishing watch tower on revolts (a) Bulleh Shah (b) Majnu Shah
and uprisings (c) Salim Chisti (d) None of these
(d) All of the above
14 Chuar uprising has occurred in which
6 The infamous proposal of Partition of district of Bengal?
Bengal was introduced by which of the (a) Purulia (b) Midnapore
following Governors in October 1905? (c) Siliguri (d) West Dinajpur
(a) Robert Clive
(b) Sir Warren Hastings 15 Chhar Rebellion was occurred in
(c) Sir Drake (a) 1798-99 (b) 1750-52
(d) Lord Curzon (c) 1850-52 (d) 1899-99
32 Know Your State WEST BENGAL

16 Who was the inspiration behind ‘Young 25 Who founded ‘Ramkrishna Mission’?
Bengal Movement’? (a) Dayanand Saraswati
(a) Michael Madhusudan Dutt (b) Vivekananda
(b) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (c) Pranabananda
(c) Krishnamohan Banerjee (d) Ramkrishnadeva
(d) Ramgopal Ghosh
26 Partition of Bengal was withdrawn in
17 Who formed the ‘Brahmo Samaj’ in 1828 [WBCS Pre 2015, 17]
in Calcutta? (a) 1905 (b) 1906
(a) Krishna Mohan Banerjee (c) 1911 (d) 1909
(b) Hemendranath Tagore
(c) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar 27 Who among the following annulled the
(d) Raja Rammohan Roy Partition of Bengal? [WBCS Pre 2018]
(a) Lord Hardinge
18 Tattwabodhini Sabha was founded by (b) Lord Minto
[WBCS Pre 2015] (c) Lord Curzon
(a) Debendranath Tagore (d) Lord Chelinsford
(b) Shivnath Sastri
(c) Kesab Chandra Sen 28 Who was the founder of Anushilan
(d) Raja Rammohan Roy Samiti? [WBCS Pre 2012]
(a) Aurobindo Ghosh
19 Who among the following was not the (b) Barin Ghosh
active leader of the Brahmo Samaj? (c) Barrister Pramathanath Mitra
(a) Debendranath Tagore (d) Chittaranjan Das
(b) Keshab Chandra Sen
(c) Akshay Kumar Dutta 29 Anushilan Samiti had two branches, viz,
(d) Swami Vivekananda Dhaka Anushilan Samiti and
(a) Rajshahi Anushilan Samiti
20 Who formed the Brahmo Samaj of India in (b) Noakhali Anushilan Samiti
1866? (c) Jugantar Anushilan Samiti
(a) Debendranath Tagore (d) None of the above
(b) Keshab Chandra Sen
(c) Raja Rammohan Roy 30 Jugantar Anusilan Samiti was led by
(d) None of the above leaders like
(a) Aurobindo Ghosh (b) Barindra Ghosh
21 Santhals are mainly living in the hilly (c) Bagha Jatin (d) All of them
districts of
(a) Manbhum, Barabhum 31 The Alipore Bomb case is known as
(b) Chhotanagpur, Palamau (a) Muraripukur Conspiracy Case
(c) Birbhum (b) Manicktala Bomb Conspiracy Case
(d) All of the above (c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
22 Under the leadership of Sidhu and Kanhu,
Santhals asserted themselves independent 32 What was the reason behind the
in Chittagong uprising in 1930?
(a) 1852 (b) 1853 (c) 1854 (d) 1855 (a) Protest against indigo plantations
(b) Destroy British armouries and disrupt
23 Indigo Revolt in Bengal took place in the telephone lines
year [WBCS Pre 2011] (c) Revolt against the use of Enfield rifle
(a) 1859 (b) 1860 (c) 1863 (d) 1869 (d) Making indigenous bombs to attack
the British offices
24 Indigo revolt was regularly highlighted in
[WBCS Pre 2012] 33 The leader for Chittagong uprising was
(a) The Hindu Patriot (a) Surya Sen
(b) The Times of India (b) Kalpana Dutta
(c) The Statesman (c) Nirmal Sen
(d) The Tribune (d) All of the above