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

Keeping in view of the current flood situation in Assam where many have lost their lives and have been rendered homeless, a meeting was held at the initiative of The Assam Association, Mumbai on 8th July 2012.The meeting which was attended by the executive committee of the Assam Association,Mumbai and Shri Devashish Sharmah Dy.Resident Commissioner of Assam Bhawan Mumbai along with other members. The meeting took unanimous decision to form a FLOOD RELIEF COMMITTEE under the chairmanship of Padmashree Jahnu Baruah in order to extend heartfelt support and solidarity towards the prevailing situation in Assam and extend all possible help to the flood affected people.The contribution for flood...
India Against Corruption on Saturday demands a thorough probe into the attack Akhil Gogoi. The party further alleged role of a section of local Congress party workers in the incident.In a statement issued on Saturday, the organisation said that Gogoi was attacked by a group of Youth Congress activists at the instance of Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nilamani Sen Deka.According to the organization, Congress party is now desperately indulging in hooliganism through its goons. Gogoi is currently admitted in a hospital. Reports from Guwahati said that one person had been arrested so far.
Noted social activist Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday strongly criticized the attack on RTI activist Akhil Gogoi on Friday. Kejriwal said that the country will not tolerate such heinous acts. According the police, Gogoi who had gone to Punni village in Dharmapur area of the district to take stock of the flood situation, was allegedly attacked with sticks and other sharp weapons.
The 12 hour Nalbari district bandh called to protest against the incident disrupted normal life in the area on Saturday. Shops and business establishments and banks and educational institutions in the district headquarter town of Nalbari remained closed but there was no impact on movement of traffic on the national highway. He has already lodged an FIR against Congress leader and President of Dharmapur youth Congress committee Ratul Patowary and five others. The KMSS leader also flayed the role of police and their alleged inaction.
Attack on KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi evokes strong protest across the state even as police arrested a local Congress leader hours after the attack. Search was on for five others allegedly involved in the assault. Nalbari youth Congress has denied its involvement in the attack and said that the charges leveled by the KMSS leader had no basis. Gogoi, who sustained injury on his face and waist after being attacked by bamboos and sharp weapons, managed to reach Nalbari Sadar police station. Gogoi, who is undergoing treatment in the Nalbari Swahid Mukunda Kakati civil hospital and referred to the Guwahati medical college hospital here, has refused to leave Nalbari until the five other accused were...
Cachar district erupts in a fresh orgy of tension following the death of a person in police custody on Friday night.Identified as Ajijur Rahman, a 55 year old man died a day after he was picked up in connection with the July 4 clash between two communities at Kallain. A police official was suspended to get rid of a violent protest on Saturday. Ajijur had complained of uneasiness and was taken to the local hospital. He was referred to Silchar Medical College Hospital but died on the way. Rahman's family members had filed an FIR at Kallain police station. A clash broke out at Kallain and adjacent areas during the 12-hour Barak valley bandh by Hindu Jagran Manch that left 22 injured and led...
The overall flood situation in remains grim on Saturday. The toll has gone up to 121. The water level of Brahmaputra and its tributaries are refusing to recede except for some places in upper Assam. According to official sources, the water level of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries were showing receding trend following cessation of rainfall in most of the 27 affected districts but it is still above the danger mark.
The flash flood has taken lives of around 540 animals in the Kaziranga National Park. Around 75 percent area of the famed park has been inundated by the flood. According to information, the victims include 28 wild boars and 16 sambars apart from 465 hog deer and 13 rhinos. Around 20 lakh people have become homeless due to the flood that affected 27 districts in the state following the week-long torrential rains.
One person died and four others sustained serious injury at a sensational shoot out in the district on Friday. The incident took place in Amthihara at around 8-30 in the evening where unidentified miscreants started firing at a group of people. One person died and six others have been injured. The deceased was identified as Nurul Haque while the injured persons, identified as, Sakim Ali, Safikul Islam, Saiful Haque and Majibur Rahman have been rushed to the hospital.
Assam Assembly Speaker Pranab Gogoi on Friday ordered police to take up the complaint lodged against MLA Rumi Nath and her second husband who illegally entered his residence and assaulted visitors on the suspicion that they were involved in the attack on them last week. Speaker Gogoi has issued a letter to the Dispur police station to investigate into the issue. The police said the FIR was filed after Purkayastha faxed the complaint to the Dispur police station during the day. Purkayastha alleged that Nath, her second husband Jacky Jakir and two security guards forcibly entered his official residence at the Dispur capital complex late last night and beat up and injured four visitors and a...