Resignation of Curzon and Arrival of Lord Minto 1905

Meanwhile Lord Curzon became sick. When he was on the sickbed, on August 12, 1905 he telegraphed his resignation to London. The news of his resignation was published in newspapers in a few days and this gave new zeal to the agitators. But the new Viceroy and Governor-General of India Lord Minto, and the new secretary of state for India, John Morley upheld Lord Curzon’s measure. Bengal partition was now in operation. Lord Minto remained Viceroy till 1910.

The first thing for the new Viceroy was to crackdown on the people who made the hue and cry. The victims were the school and college boys.

They were asked whether they wanted grants, scholarships and affiliation or not? The students were fined, expelled, arrested, beaten and repressed. Now, one could listen the Vandemataram in every street.

The government went crazy when it started pulling down the houses on which Bande mataram was written! Police was now more open to use the lathicharge to dismiss the public meetings !