The Bengal Presidency, in contradiction to those of the Madras Presidency and Bombay Presidency, ultimately incorporated all the British territories north of the Central Provinces (Madhya Pradesh), from the mouths of Ganga River and Brahmaputra River to the Himalayas and Punjab. However, Bengal Presidency did not live long to see the light of the day. The reason behind it can be attributed to the Partition of Bengal, 1905. Lord Curzon had employed extreme cunning and shrewd measures to accomplish his task, which later came to criticised as the 'Divide and Rule' policy. After incredible protests from the part of the commoner, voicing that it was a decision by the rulers to exhibit nepotism and separate the Hindu and Muslim communities, Curzon's decision was reversed. Bengal was reunited in 1912. Later however, Bengal Presidency was further subdivided into Orissa and Bihar. The ultimate divide, completely ruined the Presidency and its administrative strength, remaining only as a titular name. The history of Bengal presidency thus unfolds the administrative tactics of British imperialism. |