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

Dibrugarh : There have been reports of Army atrocities and molestation in Lezai Village, near Dibrugarh a few days back. In protest against this and the inaction from the authorities a lot of local people blocked NH 37 at Lepetkota, Sesa Tiniali, Kotoha in Dibrugarh District. Vehicular traffic was thrown out of gear from 11 am in the morning. It may be mentioned that the authorities are investigating the matter of alleged molestation and atrocity but no concrete results have been achieved till now.
Guwahati: AGP General House Meeting today has taken some concrete decisions. The General House Meeting has decided to hold the AGP Executive Committee Meeting on 30th and 31st August. It has decided to hold all District Conferences within 25th August and the Anchalik Conferences before 20th August.The General House Meeting has also decided that it would be in the interests of the Orgainsation to unite all founder leaders under the banner of AGP and reunite the party.Brindavan Goswami's leadership is also under question and he has indicated that he may resign from his position before the coming assembly elections.
Burapahar: Some unknown miscreants have hijacked a bus at Burapahar in Assam. The miscreants hijacked the bus at gun point from the Burapahar area in the National Highway 37. The passengers were asked to get down from the bus and the dacoits drove the bus away alongwith all the goods of the passengers.Two passengers have also been reported missing .The bus was on its way from Imphal to Shillong.
After months of speculation, mud slinging, leg pulling by the political parties finally we have got ourselves a new president- a woman president at that which by the way is a first. History has been made with this new president as Pratibha Patil is the first woman president of India who has made inroads into the Raisena Hill. From her days as a lawyer in Jalgaon to becoming the first woman President of India, Pratibha Patil has seen the rough and tumble of politics including an unusually bitter campaign on her way to Rashtrapati Bhavan. United Progressive Alliance-Left nominee Pratibha Patil has been elected as the 13th President of India. She won the Presidential election by a huge 3...
A 12 hour Demow Bandh has been called on Saturday by the Tai Ahom Students Union due to alleged harassment of two of their members Nipun Barua and Pulak Barua by unidentified miscreants
India got its first woman President. Pratibha Patil won the Presidential elctions by 3,06,810 votes. Pratibha Patil, the UPA candidate defeated her rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat who was backed by the NDA.There was some cross voting by BJP dissidents in Gujrat and Madhya Pradesh.Bhairon Shingh Shekhawat has resigned from the position of Vive President as wellIn Assam, Pratibha Patil has secured 92 votes while Shekhawat has secured 20 votes. (For detailed information on how the President of India is elected please refer to the Knowledge and Development Section/ How the President of India is elected? by Rebati Neog)
This week we speak to the Assam Association Delhi Secretary and NEDFi representative in Delhi, Manoj Das. A multi faced personality he speaks about life outside Assam, NEDFi and the Assam Association Delhi which is turning dreams into realities for the Assamese population of Delhi.What was your background and how did you venture into your current line.I did schooling from Bordoloni in Dhemaji district of Assam and PU(Sc) from cotton College in ‘79. Pursued Production Engineering from Morvi, Gujarat in 1983 and subsequently MBA from University Business School, Chandigarh, Panjab University. Thereafter I joined Hero Honda Motors Ltd. as Plant Engineer in 1985. I was selected by the Govt...
GUWAHATI, July 20: A powerful bomb exploded in Srirampur Chariali under Tamarhat police station in Kokrajhar district on Friday killing 4 people and seriously injuring 18 others.The bomb was kept on a bicycle which was kept in front of a shop near the ASTC counter.Two people died on the spot and eight sustained serious injuries. Out of these, three people sucummbed to their injuries at the Kokrajhar hospital. The deceased has been identified as Munna Shah (18), Abdul Mazid (22), Munmun Sheikh (4), Mangal Sheikh (18). The ASTC counter has also been badly damaged in the blast.The other people who have been injured in the hospital have been shifted to the Gossaigaon civil hospital and the...
GUWAHATI : The Army on Thursday killed two ULFA militants in Tinsukia district, about 500 kms from Guwahati. Defence sources said here troops of the 7/11 Gorkha Regiment killed the two rebels during a shootout in the Kailashpur Simaluguri village under Pengeri police station in the wee hours today.The slain rebels were identified as ‘corporal’ of the ULFA’s 28th battalion Polash Rajbonshi and Bhaskar Barua.An AK 56 rifle, four magazines and some ammunition were recovered from them. Meanwhile, jawans of 2 Bihar Regiment arrested two ULFA linkmen in Tinsukia and recovered six detonators, two kg of explosoves, a fake currency of Rs 500 denomination, two vehicles (AS-23-E-1705...
GUWAHATI: The city police is interrogating former Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) minister Rajendra Mushahary from Wednesday at the Dispur police station for illegal possession of arms ammunition.Mr Mushahary, his two daughters have been picked up from his Rukminigaon based residence on Wednesday. According to information, 95 rounds of live ammunition of AK 47 rifle and Rs 83,000 in cash have been recovered from the rented house of the former AGP minister.Notably, he was accused of raping his housemaid while he was minister for hills area development during the Prafulla Kumar Mahanta regime