Skip to content Skip to navigation

The First Indian Leader trying to Prevent Partition of India

Please look at the 1946 photo from the London Parliamentary Archive --- the individual standing, with left face seen in the photograph, with clenched fists on the table, is Gopinath Bardoloi. Please look at the scare on the face of the Member of the British Cabinet Mission.


Partition of India in August 1947 is an unforgettable tragedy where a million innocent people lost their lives and belongings.


British Administration put up two plans, one after the other, for Partition of India. The first plan, known as "Cabinet Mission Plan" (AKA "Grouping Plan") was presented by a British Cabinet Mission in March 1946. One Indian leader, Gopinath Bardoloi, known as "Gopinath of Assam", thwarted that plan with help from Mahatma Gandhi. Some Indian leaders, led by Jawaharlal Nehru (who became very angry at "Gopinath of Assam") did not mind partition of India in order to grab political power.


A second plan to partition India was forwarded by Bengali leaders in April 1947 who wanted to dissect India to carve out an independent Bengal --- this ignonimous plan was known as "Suhrawardy-Sarat Bose Plan".


One year after the British Cabinet Mission Plan, the British Viceroy Lord Mountbatten, arrived India with the third proposal known as "Mountbatten Plan" in June -July 1947. Fully supported by Nehru, India was partioned on August 15, 1947 by the Mountbatten Plan. Subsequent communal riots claimed millions of lives and unimaginable, unforgettable suffering.


If this matter is discussed with a verified time-line, the truth will come out that "Gopinath of Assam" was the only Indian leader besides Mahatma Gandhi who stopped Partition of India ---- proving the true "Assamese Grit" that is needed by the Assamese again today for the survival of Assam.


Himendra Thakur
Boston, USA


Photo has been taken from this page.

Comments

Pallavi Barua's picture

Today, Assam has Nehru Stadium, Nehru Park, etc. These have been named after a person who didn't provide any helping hand to Gopinath Bordoloi when he was fighting against Assam being clubbed with erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)in 1947. The only thing which mattered to Pt. Nehru was the Prime Minister's chair. On assumption of the office of the PM, Nehru thought of using Assam as a dumping yard for refugees from erstwhile East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Here is an excerpt from a letter which Nehru wrote to Gopinath Bordoloi, "...If Assam adopts an attitude of incapacity to solve the refugee problem, then the claims of Assam for financial help obviously suffer."
Ajoy Warisa's picture

How is assam different from bangladesh now? 38 years of infiltration - what is left of assam? when will New Delhi awake from its slumber?
Anwar A. Ansari's picture

By accepting the Cabinet Mission Plan unanimously and unconditionally, Jinnah and his Muslim League had drawn a curtain to all that had gone before. Then Indian National Congress gave its approval, not unanimous, And then, according to Abul Kalam Azad, happened something that changed the course of history - Nehru's repudiation of the agreement by declaring "we are unfettered by any agreement". By unanimously approving the Cabinet Mission Plan, Jinnah and his Muslim League had put a lid on everything past. I have read a lot of books and articles on the subject of 'Partition of India'. None, repeat none, carries this episode of Nehru's 10 July press conference. And all books and articles give quotations from Abul Kalam Mazda's 'India Wins Freedom'. Again, none, repeat none, gives the passages that I have given in my article, below. Why? Abul Kalam Azad, giving account of the A.I.C.C.'s passing the resolution to approve the Cabinet Mission Plan, says: "Now happened one of those unfortunate events which changed the course of history. On 10 July, Jawaharlal held a Press Conference in Bombay in which he made a statement which in normal circumstances might have passed almost unnoticed, but in the existing atmosphere of suspicion and hatred, set in train a most unfortunate series of consequences. Some Press representatives asked him whether with the passing of the Resolution by A.I.C.C., the Congress had accepted the Plan in toto, including the composition of the interim Government. "Jawaharlal stated in reply that Congress would enter the Constituent Assembly 'completely unfettered by agreements and free to meet all situations as they arise.' (Inverted comas of the author) "Press representatives further asked if this meant that the Cabinet Mission Plan could be modified. "Jawaharlal replied emphatically that the Congress had agreed only to participate in the Constituent Assembly and regarded itself free to change or modify the Cabinet Mission Plan as it thought best. "I must place on record that Jawaharlal's statement was wrong. It was not correct to say that Congress was free to modify the Plan as it pleased. ................................................................. These matters could not be changed unilaterally by Congress without the consent of other parties to the agreement. "The Working Committee felt that it faced a dilemma. On the one side, the prestige of the Congress President was at stake. On the other, the settlement ....... was in danger. To repudiate the President's statement would weaken the organization but to give up the Cabinet Mission Plan would ruin the country. Finally, we drafted a Resolution which made no reference to the Press Conference but reaffirmed the decision of the A.I.C.C. "His Excellency the Viceroy, with the approval of His Majesty's Government, has invited the President of the Congress to take proposals for the immediate formation of an interim Government and the President of the Congress has accepted the invitation. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru will shortly visit New Delhi to discuss this proposal with His Excellency the Viceroy." A few passages further, Abul Kalam Azad says: My comments: Lord Wavell, the Viceroy, had earlier declared that whichever party first accepted the plan, would be invited to form the Interim Government. That gutless Viceroy went back on his promise and bypassing Jinnah in blatant deceit invited the President of the Congress instead to form the Interim Government, who had already repudiated the Cabinet Mission Plan and whose catalogue of mistakes had ruined the unity of India. The gutless, supine and myopic leadership of the Indian National Congress could not see woods from the trees and, in all lunacy, went on to pass a resolution which begins unashamedly by shoving all the blame on the Muslim League. They were so blinded by their selfish interest that they could not see the impending catastrophe by not calling a spade a spade and, as Abul Kalam Azad has recorded, completely omitted even the mention of the bone of contention: the notorious 10 July Nehru Press Conference. The imbecile leadership of Indian National Congress came out in full force to cover up the Himalayan blunder of Nehru rather than rectifying it, which blunder according to Azad changed the course of history (of India). What a farce! What a farce!! The display of lunacy did not stop there. Lord Wavell, in utter insanity, called upon Jawaharlal Nehru, who had repudiated the Cabinet Mission Plan agreement, to form the Interim Government of India. And then all those lunatics, Congress leadership, Wavell and all, went on to blame Mr. Jinnah for the partition. What hypocrisy! What hypocrisy!! It is not Jinnah who brought about the partition of India; it is the duo of the gutless, spineless, unashamed Jawaharlal Nehru and the self-opinionated, egoistic Lord Mountbatten (now in control) who brought about the partition and the destruction upon India. These two demagogues, Nehru and Mountbatten, preferred the ruination of the country over the false prestige of the Congress President. (It still remains an enigma that Nehru had earlier gone to Malaysia and met Mountbatten, the Supreme Commander. Mountbatten, a soldier in uniform on active war service, then made a momentous political statement of great significance by calling Nehru “the future Prime Minister of India”.) Going by the account of events given by Azad that changed the course of history, there is only one single reason of the disastrous partition of India: The display of Nehru's obnoxious & foul diplomacy at the time!!! And the Indian National Congress going along with it. Thus, united India was sacrificed at the altar of false prestige of the President of Indian National Congress. Events have proved Gopinath was a shortsighted man. Anwar Ansari, Harrow, Middlesex, England.
Himjyoti Talukdar's picture

Is somewhere mentioned that the person addressing the meeting is Gopinath Bordoloi? According to few sources He's Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Request author to clarify the issue with sources. 

Pages

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

An uneasy situation is what prevails in Nazira sub division along the Assam Nagaland border following as firing incident by the Naga militants at some Assam police vehicles on Wednesday. According to information, the Naga militants started indiscriminate firing at the police vehicles on their way back after visiting No 2 Waxing area nearing the upper Namsai. A police team from Simaluguri and Bihubar stations was returning from the area. The police has input that the Naga people have illegally set up polling booth on the soil of Assam. But during their visit the police team failed to spot it as the polling was over. No one was injured in the firing.
Atleast four people have been injured when suspected ULFA militants exploded a powerful bomb at around 7-30 in the evening in Lakhimpur town. According to information, the blast took place in front of the Office of the Deputy Commissioner. The injured people namely Nurani Khan, Sunu Rahman, K K Handique, Tarifur Rahman Barbhuyan have been rushed to the hospital. The blast made a kind of flutter in the town despite a beefed up security. Investigation is going on.
The Assam Government came in for sharp criticism on the floor of the House on Wednesday when the Opposition parties slammed it on the implementation of the much –hyped NREGA. Assam rural development minister Chandan Brahma was cornered on the floor while the opposition riddled him with many questions. The Opposition parties further criticized the Government for its failure on the law and order front while the House discussed the Governor's address. The Opposition parties lashed out at Assam Government for the state's deteriorating law and order situation while the House discussed the Governor's address which claimed that the state's law and order situation has considerably improved....
The Bengal team has the last laugh in the East Zone Ranji clash when the rain played spoilsport in the final one dayer with Jharkhand who won the runners up on Wednesday. Caught in the rain that lashed then city from early in the morning, the organizers stopped the match and announced Bengal as the champion while giving the runners up to the Jharkhand team. The Bengal team reached the final after initially defeating the host team Assam and then Tripura and Orissa. Jharkhand team also managed to face the Bengal team in the final one dayer after defeating Assam.
Hundreds of tea garden labourers staged dharna in Dispur Last Gate on Wednesday demanding immediate implementation of the Tea Plantation Act and the Minimum Wage Act. Speaking to assamtimes, the protestors here said over the years they have been receiving assurance from the government and nothing else. The Tea Plantation Act has not been implemented. Even the Minimum Daily Wage Act has yet to be implemented, they said adding that the Rs 84 minimum wage per day fixed last year has not been implemented so far. Besides, they alleged that they have been lacking adequate facilities for education, drinking water and sanitation. They blamed the government for continuing woes saying the Government...
A good number of Koch Rajbanshi people representing the various bodies of the communities are staging a 72 hour long demonstration from Wednesday in front of the Jantarmantar, New Delhi demanding a separate Kamatapur state. Led by the All Koch Rajbanshi Students Union President Atul Rai and general secretary Bireswar Saikia, the strike will continue for 72 hours. They are stick to the stand saying they will not halt it if the Government fails further. They alleged that before the election, the ruling clique promised everything but forget as soon as they come to power.
Insurgent activists are camping in some parts of the city to run the extortion drive. The Paltanbazar police have apprehended two ULFA cadres on Tuesday night near Lachitnagar while they were on the way to collect cash from one Agarwalla in the area. They have been identified as Prahlad Saikia and Bipul Kalita.According to police sources, NDFB activists have also bash in the city for the purpose. The arrest of Bhimsing, an activist of the Bodo insurgent outfit in Rupnagar is an example. Bhimsing’s confessional statement has provided the police a lot of inputs to bust the base of a section of NDFB rebels. Acting on these statements, police conducted a raid at a rented house in...
One people died and two others have been injured while the suspected ULFA activists exploded a powerful bomb in Sivasagar town area on Tuesday afternoon. According to information, the incident took place besides the Dikhow Bridge in Amgurighat. It is suspected that the bomb exploded while a sixteen year old was carrying it who was killed in the blast. The two injured people have been rushed to the hospital. High level police and civil officials who arrives on the spot minutes after the explosion have instructed the police to go for an immediate investigation into the incident to apprehend the culprits involved in it.The deceased was identified as Guljar Hussain an inhabitant of Nagaon...
Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi felicitated Dr. R.K Pachauri, Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) at Rabindra Bhawan Guwahati on 04-03-08. Dr. R.K Pachauri's dynamic leadership fetched Nobel Peace Prize 2007 for IPCC. Pix by UB Photos.
The main Opposition Asom Gana Parishad on Tuesday staged walk out while the Speaker turned down the adjournment motion the party moved in the House alleging government’s all round failure. The motion was brought by Opposition leader Chandra Mohan Patoway and the ruling party members also were caught in a controversy. After hearing the arguments, Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai refused to entertainment the motion. The unhappy AGP members walked out of the House.