Bengal Politics - Documents of the Raj - Vol. 1

This second volume in a three-part series presents a selection of documents on Bengal politics, primarily the fortnightly reports sent by the Governor of Bengal to the Viceroy and Governor-General of India during the era of provincial autonomy from 1936 to 1947. These reports, which often captured developments not recorded elsewhere, offer a detailed look at the workings of British colonialism in the province, covering the period from January 1940 through December 1943. The documents focus on legislative politics, the instability of ministerial coalitions, shifting party alliances, and the pressures of war, as well as the influence of European commercial interests on the political process. They also reveal the governor's frequent interference in his ministers' constitutional responsibilities, culminating in the controversial dismissal of the Fazlul Huq ministry despite its majority and the installation of a Muslim League government. The final volume will cover January 1944 to August 1947, a period that saw Bengal partitioned for a second time, and will examine the League ministry's activities, Congress ineptitude, rising communal violence, deteriorating law and order, economic struggles, and the emergence of the idea of a united sovereign Bengal. While representing the official imperial viewpoint, these documents are invaluable primary sources for understanding the political history of Bengal during the most crucial decade of the Raj, offering critical perspectives on the later movement for provincial autonomy in East Pakistan and the Bangladesh war of independence.