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

The recent blast that rocked Tezpur town killing one person was engineered by ANLA. This was confirmed by the police saying the ANLA cadres have planted the bomb at the bicycle. Sources here say the Adivasi militants outfit were fed up with the stiff protest against the bandh calls in Tezpur by the AASAA. Police topguns have already gathered some inputs relating to the incident from the eyewitnesses. It may re noted that one person died and some fourteen have been injured while the powerful blast took place at Borgola in Tezpur at a distance of 100 meter away from the Police Station on Wednesday noon. Earlier ULFA was suspected to be behind the blast but the banned insurgent outfit has...
Noted litterateur and Sahitya Akademy ward winning writer Reboti Mohan Dutta Chaudhory passed away on Friday night at a city hospital. For the 87 year writer of the Madhupur ArunTaangini, the end came at around 8-30 in the evening. Popularly known as Shilabhadra, Dutta Chaudhory was admitted in the hospital two weeks back in view of his old age ailment. He was born in 1924 in Gauripur in Dhubri district. He completed his graduation from Carmichael College in Rongpur and later did his mater degree in mathematics from the Calcutta Univrsity in 1946. He started his career as a teacher in Cotton College. After working as a journalist for a short spell of time he joined the Jorhat Engineering...
Cricketer Rajesh Bora , Olympian Dipankar Bhatttacherjee , footballer Govinda Boro and Body builder Mr. India Bijit Gogoi being felicitated during the inauguration ceremony of 15th International Guwahati Trade Fair at Chadmari Field, Guwahati on 29-02-08 evening. Pix by UB Photos.
Renowned Litterature Mohim Bora seen on the GMCH bed as he has been admitted at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital in Guwahati on 29-02-08 after his health is reported to be unwell for the past few days. Pix by UB Photos.
Abhayapuri Reserve Forest causing deforestation at Abhayapuri Reserve Forest under Charaideo sub division. Pix by UB Photos.
It’s trouble that brews again in Golaghat district bordering Nagaland following a bid to set up a polling booth for the March 5 Assembly polls forcing the authorities to review the situation prevailing in the area.According to information, the Nagaland people have been terrorizing the areas within Assam territory which fall under B sector in Dhansiri sub division. Even the people who have been living in the areas in Assam for decades are sometimes forced by the Naga people to take their consent in selling and purchase of land and even to repair their own houses. The gaonburahs of the region apprised these while they attended a recent meeting in Uriamghat organised to take stock of...
The All Assam Students Union has demanded a CBI enquiry into the rhino poachings at the Kaziranga National Park and alleged that the poachers are backed by a section of forest officials and also by some ministers and MLAs.Addressing a press conference in the city, AASU General secretary tapan Kumar Gogoi said that the failure to check the rhino poachings is proves that a section of forest officials backed some ministers and MLAs have been aiding and abetting the poachers. He said only a CBI probe could unearth the truth behind it.
As part of the Assam Association, Delhi's Diamond Jubilee, a series of lectures by eminent personalities is being organized in the national capital.You are cordially invited to the second lecture in the series as per the following schedule:Lecture on "A United North-East: My Never-Ending Dream" by eminent filmmaker Jahnu BaruaTime: 5 PM (preceded by high tea at 4:30 PM)Venue: Speaker's Hall, Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi - 1.Date: 1st March, 2008, Saturday.For further information, please contact:Dr Hareswar DekaGeneral SecretaryAssam Association, DelhiSrimanta Sankardeva BhawanA14B, Qutab Institutional AreaSatsang Vihar MargNew Delhi 110067Tel: +91-98182-52414Email:...
The city police picked up two people and seized a huge quantity of explosive materials while it was running an operation in Patharkunwari area on Tuesday midnight. According to information, the city police firstly rounded up up one Binod Thapa with an electrical detonator and some explosive materials. Binod led the police to the house of one Haramohan Barman and recovered 14 such electrical detonators and 50 detonator in addition to 4 gelatin sticks and four kilogram explosive materials. The police suspect that both the people have help ULFA. The police have some inputs that ULFA cadre Champak Sarma, who was recent arrested from the city received explosive materials from him.
One died and as many as fourteen people have been injured when suspected ULFA militants exploded a powerful bomb on Wednesday in Tezpur town forcing a spontaneous bandh of the town from afternoon. According to information, the bomb was planted at a bicycle in front of Borgola, at 100 km away from the Tezpur Police Station. Four of the injured people are stated to be serious and they have been rushed to the nearest Tezpur Civil Hospital. They are Raju Barman, Suraj Prasad, Srimanta Hazarika. The critically injured Ajit Ghose died on way to the Guwahati medical College Hospital. Four injured people have been released after primary treatment. High level police and civil officials are at the...