Events leading to Bengal Pact
- Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, then CM of Bengal supported the “Two nation” theory and Pakistan. But He feared India will get Bengal’s industrialized regions and Calcutta, while (East) Pakistan will only get the poor-backward areas of Bengal.
- Bengali Hindu leader Sarat Chandra Bose believed that division of Bengal between India and Pakistan, will ruin its culture and economy.
- But Since Hindus would not agree to a “United” Bengal joining Pakistan and Muslims would not agree to a “United” Bengal joining India, therefore Suharawardy and Sarat Bose decided to carve out a Sovereign nation – “United Bengal”, free from both India and Pakistan, and jointly run by both Hindus and Muslims.
- They sought Gandhi’s help, Gandhi supported this idea in hope to counter Jinnah’s two nation theory. But maintained that all decisions for “united Bengal” should be taken on mutual consent among Hindus and Muslims.
Therefore, Suharawardy and Sarat Bose drafted an agreement. This is known as “Bengal Pact” or “Suhrawardi-Sarat Bose agreement” or “Sarat Formula” on 20th May 1947.
Bengal Pact: Features
- Bengal would become an independent state
- Bengal’s Constitution will be drafted by an assembly of 16 Muslims, 14 Hindus= 30 members.
- Interim government with Muslim CM and Hindu Home minister, until this Constitution is drafted.
- Proportional representation of Hindus and Muslims in the legislature.
- A candidate who wins majority votes of his own community and 25% votes of other community, would be declared elected
- Hindus (including Scheduled Caste Hindus) and Muslims will have equal share in military and Police jobs.
Why Bengal Pact failed?
- Assam CM Gopinath Bordoloi complained Mountbatten, “if Bengal became a separate country, Assam will be cutoff from India & Calcutta port. This will ruin Assam’s tea business & economy.”
- Jinnah agreed to separate Bengal country IF Congress gave him WHOLE Punjab.
- Obviously, Congress, Nehru and Patel opposed.
- Shyamaprasad Mukharjee’s Hindu Mahasabha also started “Bengali Hindu Homeland Movement” for creation of separate state for Bengali Hindus within Indian dominion.
- Bengal’s Muslim league also backtracked, “we agree to formation of Pakistan and Muslim dominated Bengali areas joining (east) Pakistan. We have nothing to do with demand for separate Bengal country made by Suharawardy and Sarat Bose.”
- Seeing no consensus among Congress and Muslim league for “united” Bengal, Lord Mountbatten decided to partition Bengal between India and Pakistan.
- Now, picture becomes clear that Calcutta will go to India. Chief Minister Suharawardy fears that Hindu will kill him because of his involvement in “Direct action Day”. He runs away to Dubai Dhaka, abandoning the plan of United Bengal nation and accepts to live under Jinnah’s (East) Pakistan (Where he would later become the Prime Minister.)
- Now, Sarat Chandra Bose is isolated. He seeks Gandhi’s support
- But Nehru and Patel requested Gandhi not to support Sarat Bose on this matter. Therefore, Gandhi asked Sarat to abandon the idea of United Bengal nation.
And thus, Suhrawardi-Sarat Bose agreement = #EPICFAIL
Mock Question
(GS1) Q. Examine the events leading to Suharawardi-Sarat Bose agreement, why did it fail to create United Bengal nation? (200 words)
Event leading to:
- Muslim league leader and Bengal CM Suharawardi was in favour of creation of Pakistan, but feared that rich areas of Bengal will go to India.
- Congress leader Subhash Chandra Bose feared division of Bengal will ruin its economy and culture.
- Since neither Hindu nor Muslims would agree to a “United” Bengal joining either Pakistan OR India respectively, the only solution was a United Bengal- free from India and Pakistan.
Thus Suharawardi-Sarat Bose agreement / Bengal pact was signed in May 1947, with following features
- Bengal would become an independent state
- Its Constitution will be drafted by a joint assembly of Hindus and Muslims.
- Hindus and Muslims will get Proportional representation in legislature but equal share in military and Police jobs.
Why failed?
- Opposition from Assam that it’d cut their link to Calcutta port and rest of India.
- Jinnah accepted with caveats, But Congress and Hindu Mahasabha opposed vehemently.
- June 1947: Given the lack of consensus, Mountbatten’s partition plan divided Bengal between India and Pakistan. Both Congress and Muslim League accepted.
- Suharawardi stepped down as CM, left for Dhaka.
- Isolated Sarat Bose did not get support from Gandhi due to opposition from Nehru and Patel.
Thus, Suharawardi-Sarat Bose’s movement fizzed out and their dream for a United Bengal nation could not materialize.
~190 words
Ref:
- Frontline May 2, 2014. Page 106.
- Tushar Gandhi’s book “Let’s kill Gandhi”, Chapter 10 “A Lonesome Mahatma” Page 300 to 304
Thank u sir :-)
and thank u Rajtanil mam :)
Mrunal sir pls do guide us for political science and int. relations (as mains optional subject) in the same manner as public administration has been dealt with.
The strategy will be very helpful for me….pls sir…help!!
Thank you. Please do a little article on nokia-microsoft deal if possible, I really cant understand these type of issues. Why is the IT authorities after Nokia when thay should be after Microsoft as the capital gains tax is deducted at source(drawing parallel with your vodafone article.)
I think the deal has not been finalized yet, there is a stay on it. HC had directed Nokia to deposit 2500 cr in an escrow account to settle the tax dispute, only after that will Nokia be allowed to sell its plant. Am I right Mrunal bhai?
IT authorities r after nokia particularly in case of their chennai plant.According to them handsets produced there instead of being exported were sold locally fr which sales tax is applicable.So nokia cannot give custody of chennai plant to microsoft until tax issue sorted
Thank you sir
अच्छा हैं
Schwarzchild Radius??
The S.radius is the radius such that, if all the mass of an object is compressed within a sphere, the escape speed from the surface of that sphere would equal the speed of light.
S.radius = 2Gm/c*c
can any one tell me how, what and where to study science and technology section for GS (mains)..plz share your wise suggestion…?
I have the same query bro, can anyone please share… suggest?
I have been following mrunal advice
Sources are: Ncert Science 7-10 class–>see mrunal download section–>under ncert–>he has compiled important chapters at one place
After that IYB ch on S&T
And lastly 12 fyp chapter on same
Although it doesn’t guarantee that u will be able to answer all questions but this is particularly useful for prelims
for mains they will give from current so please follow hindu S&T and also other news related to this coming occasilonally at other place in hindu newspaper
thanks@snm58
Hindu article on science and tech, tmh, year book.
Thanx mrunal sid. It will really help the aspirants.
I reckon The Great Vipin Chandra forgot to include Suhrawardi-Sarat Bose agreement. This endeavour is deburdening us from regular note making and kindle interest in studying.
Thnkuuuuu……sirr
Sir ur current affair series is very beneficial for person like me who are jobed
Thanku very much sir
Waiting fr ur detailed Ukraine crisis article do it soon sir…..nd u r the best….i laugh so much when u use rajiv gandhi yojna jokes
sir economics articles archives link nt working pleaaase check sir
thanku very much sir for guiding us . i am regular reader of ur blog and i find it very easy to understand.i have one doubt regarding Bengal Pact , u mentioned two names here Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy and Sarat Chandra Bose but later u mentioned about subhash chandra bose too,i am bit confused whether subhash chandra bose was realted with it not as u mentioned sarat chandra bose every time but subhash chandra bose only once. plz clarify it and correct me if i m wrong. thankx
the main players in this stuff is two people Hussain shaheed Suhrawardy and Sarat Chandra bose.
but the pact was failed….why it got failed you have to give strong evidences….
Subhash Chandra Bose (Our Hero) had historical comment…….. on that so one must include that..!
lucidly explained article,thanks a lot!
Mrunal, You are spoon feeding and worsening competition!!
Great job by the way.
Sir you are awesome…plzz plzz do something for Hindi Medium students….
Great job sir!!!
thanks a ton sir
Dear Mrunal Sir, As thousands others are,I am also an ardent admirer of your great selfless service to aspirants like me.But seeing the quality of your materials and methods, it remains as a great wonder to me why didnt you make it to the Indian Civil Service, despite repeated attempts,as I have heard. I am asking this, not in any manner so as to demean your achievements, but only with the sole purpose of rectifying any mistake in my preparation as well as that of many other aspirants, by knowing where did you go wrong. Hoping that you would reply and thus help aspirants like me,
Your greatest fan,
Aspirant.
mr. ASPIRANT focus on yourself only and do not indulge in others things that why you failes etc. please concenterate in your study otherwise you will stuck in nonsense things of wheel.
Devote time in your preparation rather than picking holes. The man in question, MRUNAL, is doing a tremendous job in making aspirants (assume no violation of Intellectual Property rights on the word Aspirant) like us chase our dreams. We owe him respect and admiration.
I am extremely sorry if I have offended anyone. As I said, my only intention was to plug any loop-holes that would have so humanely made by anyone of us. And I felt there isnt a better person to consult than the Great Mrunal himself. Sorry again.
Sir , has more then that of a civil servant .. You should not ask this kind of questions in a public forum , specially to moderator ..
Mr. Aspirant who knows why he couldnt clear. Luck matters my friend. But somehow its good for us because now he is doing a great service in helping 50,000 of us to clear the upsc. Hats of Mrunal. You are doing a great job by keeping us aware and providing concrete knowledge. Thank you Mrunal
In mock question pg.3 Examine the events……………. in second pt. Congress leader Subhash Chandra Bose …..is written .( It shd be SARAT ???)
I also, think it should be Sarat .Pls rectify………. mrunal sir
Amazing work sir …
i became a part of this civil service race and ur articles are proving a boon for beginners lik me …
thanks for ur effort …
thanks sir for providing such a grt guidance !!!
thank you.
Hi to everybody.. I am a civil service aspirant.. Preparing for CSE 2014-15… Doing self preparation without coaching… Anybody doing CSE preparation for 2014 can contact me @conicsray@yahoo.com for CSE 2014 talks and most importantly motivating each other..
Great Sir…..I’m surprised that I hv come across suharawardi-Bose pact for the first time…..thanks alot…..
Interesting it was Nepal to raise the issue regarding trangenders right in 2007
Great work sir…..Hats off…Take a bow….!!
thanx sir..it help me a lot..