Swadeshi movement was spread in four routes - industrial, educational, cultural and political. It was pread not only in Bengal but also all over india. The Govt. of India became unnerved. A local movement was being slowly but steadily developed into an all-India national movement against the British rule.
Government repression not confined to picketing and educational institutions to which reference had been made .Government brutality, sometimes , appeared in a naked form. At Barisal alone 66 clerks were dismissed for having connection with Swadeshis. The cry of Bandemataram was forbidden in the streets of Barisal.The Jugantar, the organ of the revolutionary party, was prosecuted.
At the early stages of the anti-partition movement it was sopported by the Muslims of East Bengal. But this was one side of the picture.Lord Curzon, while visiting EastBengal in 1904,influenced many including some Nawabs.For doing in favour of them, Govt. granted a loan of Rs. 14 lakhs to Nawab Salimullah at a very low rate of interest. After that the Mussalmans became hostile day by day which was exemplified by the notorious document , known as Lal Istahar or Red Pamphlet.
The ill-feeling between Hindus and Muslims was spread in a limited area of East Bengal. Only two of the districts out of 13 disturbances were spread.
C. J. O'Donnel, M. P., referred in his book to Hindu-Musalman riots and quoted from judicial proceedings that these were engineered and the Musalmans were led to believe by public proclamationthat they would not be punished for plundering and oppressing the Hindus. He also referred to a number of trials showed how English Judges were biased against the Hindus.
The situation was beautifully expressed by Rabindra Nath in a song, addressed to the british, which quoted as;
Are you so powerful that you will flout and break
All laws of prvidence ?
Are you so proud, you think you will
Break us and mould us ?
