Рассматривается деятельность британской парламентской оппозиции разделу Бенгалии в 1905-1911 гг. Особое внимание уделено изучению совместной работы парламентариев-либералов и Индийского национального конгресса (ИНК) в этом направлении, деятельности Генри Коттона - британского члена ИНК, возглавившего парламентскую оппозицию разделу Бенгалии в 1906 г. Рассмотрены позиции ведущих деятелей оппозиции по бенгальскому вопросу. Показана роль парламентской оппозиции в укреплении политических связей между британскими либералами и ИНК.

The partition of Bengal had a great impact on the Indian history and the development of the Indian national liberation movement. Lord Curzon's decision of the partition became the reason of the discussions and controversies not only in India, but in the British Parliament too. Liberal politicians with the Indian experience were against the official position on the matter. Their point of view on the partition of Bengal was the same as that of the Indian National Congress. The Congress leadership traditionally paid great attention to the parliamentary struggle and to the support of the Liberal Party, because some of the party's members were active participants of the Congress' work. The Indian National Congress retained close connection with the Indian parliamentary committee too. Parliamentary opposition to the partition of Bengal was headed by Henry Cotton, who held high positions in the administration of Bengal and Assam for more than thirty years. Cotton had close relations with the Indian national movement. He was elected president of the Indian National Congress in 1904, and it was the start of his activities against the propositions about the partition of the province. In the early 1905, Cotton made several visits to Bengal and Assam. He attended conferences and meetings devoted to the upcoming partition. He proposed a "constructive scheme" of the partition, but the Government of India rejected his propositions. In the early 1906, Cotton became a member of Commons. Unrest in India, which arose after the proclamation of the partition of Bengal on 16 October 1905, caused discussions on the situation in India in the British Parliament. Some of the liberal members (Smeaton, Jardin, O'Donnell, Rees, Cotton) had an Indian experience and they indicated the hastiness of the decision made and its negative effect. John Rees showed the economic infeasibility of the Bengal partition. For example, he drew Parliament's attention to the fact that many Indian and European organizations (such as the Chamber of Commerce of Calcutta and the European Trade Association) opposed the partition. He also expressed an opinion that the result of the swadeshi movement will be the strengthening of the European competitors, who will be able to replace British goods in the Indian market. Finally, the object of liberal criticism in Parliament was the repressive policy of the Government of India against the participants of the protest movement. In spite of the local success, the parliamentary opposition to the partition of the Bengal had no noticeable impact on the policy of the Indian administration. But the parliamentary debates of 1906-1911 strengthened the political connection between the Indian National Congress and British liberals, and were the evidence of the important role of the Indian National Congress in the national movement.