Divide & Rule Policy: Challenge before Indian Nationalism

Abstract

India had a trade relation with European countries from the ancient time. The European merchants from various nations like Portuguese, Dutch, French and British came to India for the purpose of trade. The commercial competition gave the birth to struggle among the four powers. Britain became the most super colonial power in the world by 1757. Britain turned to Asia after establishing colonies in America and Africa. India was the richest country in Asia so Britain established its power there soon. The British ruled over India from 1757 to 1947. When British came to India, there were three formidable power like Marathas, Mughals and Afghans. After the declined of these three power, there was no power left in India without British. This situation opened up the fortunes and prospects of British rule in India. Though British came to India with the prime motive of trade and business, they gradually got the political power in India. Britain established their political power in India by the victory in Plassey battle on 23^rd June 1757 and tightened it by the victory in Buxer battle on 22 October 1764. By ruling in India, British made various policies in various situation like Lord Wellesley’ Subsidiary Alliance, Cornwallis’ Permanent Settlement, Lord Bentinck’ Suppression of Thuggees, Lord Dalhousie’ Policy of Annexation, Lord Elgin’ Holding Darbaars, Lord Lyton’ Vernacular Press Act, Lord Ripon’ Local Self Government Act, Hunter’ Education Commission, Lord Curzon’ Partition of Bengal, Minto’ Council Act of 1909, Chelmsford’ Act of 1919 etc.(01) When they observed, there was a huge unity in all Indians specially in Hindu and Muslim in revolt of 1857, they alerted and used “Divide & Rule Policy” time to time to maintain their power in India forever. In this paper, scholar has tried to searched how the “Divide & Rule Policy” of British colonial became a challenge before the Indian Nationalism.