Partition of Bengal
Game Plan and Iqbal's timely intervention December 1911
Poet proved right. Allama Iqbal wrote a letter to Begum Atyya Faizi and this couplet was included in that letter. The poet knew well what colonial masters did with Bengalis and how they smartly misled them. But in 1911 his contemporaries remained unaware from that politics. The story started from 1949 when British annexed the Punjab in the month of March. Delhi was included in the Punjab in 1850 and now Punjab was the biggest province that included areas from Delhi to FATA. Now their destination was Oxus and they wanted to capture or destroy ancient Silk trade route. The first step they adopted was gradual deterioration of Royal Bengal Army and induction of army from new lands. Its reaction was 1857 events yet it proved futile for protesters. Had they protested during three wars with the Punjab, things would be different. After dealing with RBA, they spent 30 years in fixing rebellions in the Punjab and its surroundings. In 1877 they organized a Darbar, show of strength at Delhi. it was the first effort to shift the center from Calcutta towards Kabul. In 1878 colonial rulers had occupied Kabul and installed a King there after killing Sher Khan. They not only made Afghanistan a country but also created infamous Durand Line in 1893. In 1901 they created a new province by cutting 6 Punjabi districts and merge it with tribal people. In 1904 they organized another Darbar, Show of power and that was a first show of military strength. It is to be remembered that Bengali babu were blue eyed boys of the empire since war of Buxar 1764. It was very tricky to make them angry. In 1877 Darbar they awarded ancestor of Tagore the highest civil award. Partition of Bengal was a trick to engage Bengalis and colonial masters played their cards smartly between 1905-1911. They created an issue, divided the Bengal between Muslim and Hindu and finally after shifting the center they made Bengal united again. Iqbal was among few rare politicians who smelled the whole game plan timely. Thant is why he said
The Crown has been shifted..Bengalis got their shoes but lost their hat.
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