UNITED BENGAL PLAN

Subject : History

Concept :

United Bengal Plan

British Bengal roughly consisted of modern-day Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
In 1905, Bengal was partitioned to achieve some political returns but people’s growing movement under the auspices of Congress led to the reunion in 1911.
In 1947, along with India and Pakistan, there almost emerged a third sovereign country: United Bengal.
The division of the province was demanded on communal lines.
However, the plan was foiled following concerted and unanimous efforts of the Hindus of Bengal.
Hindu opinion was firmly against a sovereign and united Bengal.

Shyama Prasad Mookerjee and his plan-

Though Mookerjee was a staunch advocate of the integrity of the country, but when the division of India became imminent, he campaigned for the division of Bengal.
In February 1947, the Hindu Mahasabha under Mookerjee put forward the demand for dividing Bengal on religious grounds.
He demanded West Bengal for Hindu Bengalis.
He had opposed a bid to form a united, but independent Bengal in 1947 that was pushed by Sarat Bose, brother of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, former Pakistani prime minister.

Leaders who were in favour and against the Plan

Against: Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel were implacably opposed to a United Bengal.
In favour: Suhrawardy along with few other top Bengal politicians like Sarat Bose and K.S. Roy came up with an alternative for the Partition.