Day-728 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | HISTORY

Answer: B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: Lord Hastings was the Governor-General of Bengal from 1813 to 1823. He is credited with initiating the new policy of paramountcy, which aimed to assert British supremacy over all the native rulers in India. This policy led to a series of conflicts and eventually the annexation of several Indian princely states.
Statement 2 is correct: Lord Hardinge prohibited sati, infanticide, and human sacrifices, which were still practiced by orthodox Hindus, particularly in the hilly areas of Orissa.
Statement 3 is correct: Lord Dalhousie is often regarded as the “Maker of Modern India.” He was in charge of bringing a number of modern changes in India, including railways, telegraph and postal networks, and public works. During his reign, the Ganga Canal was built.
Additional information:
Lord Hardinge
● He established schools and mandated Sunday as a weekly holiday in government offices.
● The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company between 1845 and 1846, during his times.
● Hardinge offered to serve as second in command under Sir Hugh Gough, waiving his right to the supreme command. On the 18th of December 1845, at the Battle of Mudki, Gough commanded the right flank and Hardinge commanded the left flank.
Lord Hastings
● Lord Hastings was the Governor-General of Bengal from 1813 to 1823. His tenure is known for policy of intervention and war.
● Two important wars viz. Gurkha War and Third Anglo-Maratha war occurred during his tenure.
● He simplified the judicial proceedings and abolished the Censorship Act.
● Hastings was mostly involved in war throughout his time in India, but he was also active in civic activities.
● In order to force the Marathas to embrace the Subsidiary Alliance and complete the consolidation of British dominance over all of India east of the Sutlej and Sind, the English armies defeated the Peshwa, the ruler of Nagpur, and the Raja of Indore one after the other.
● In 1819, Hastings acquired Singapore, a key strategic location in Southeast Asia.
● In order to emphasise British dominance in India, Lord Hastings also stopped presenting the putative Mughal emperor with official presents.
● By founding the Hindu College in Calcutta in 1817 and pushing missionaries to construct a printing press and a college at Serampore, he fostered education among Indians.
● He advocated the appointment of Indian judges and increased the number of courthouses.
Lord Dalhousie
● On January 12, 1848, he was named Governor-General of India and Governor of Bengal.
● The consolidation of British dominance was Dalhousie’s main goal in India. He had a reputation for being an industrious worker who was also autocratic and aggressive.
● But he is best known for his Doctrine of Lapse doctrine, which many believe was directly responsible for the revolt of 1857.
● In India, Lord Dalhousie established a number of Anglo-vernacular schools. He also instituted social changes, such as the prohibition of female infanticide.
● He also built engineering institutions to supply resources for each presidency’s newly established public works department.
● In addition, he restructured the military. He outlawed the practice of criminals being branded. He also increased the size of India’s Legislative Council. He modernized the civil service by instituting an open recruitment method.

Answer: A
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: Portuguese established their first factory in India at Calicut in 1500 CE. This factory was abandoned in 1525 CE due to the opposition of Zamorin of Calicut.
Statement 2 is correct: In 1602, the United East India Company of the Netherlands was formed and given permission by the Dutch government to trade in the East Indies including India. The Dutch founded their first factory in Masulipatnam in Andhra Pradesh in 1605. Subsequently, they also established trading centres in various parts of India.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The French company established its first factory at Surat under Francis Caron, in 1668. The second factory was established at Masulipatnam.
Additional information:
Portuguese Power in India
● In 1505 CE, Francisco de Almeida was appointed as the first Portuguese governor in India. His policy being centric on controlling the Indian Ocean was known as the Blue Water Policy. Alfonso de Albuquerque who replaced Almeida as the governor in 1509, and captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in 1510. He is considered the real founder of the Portuguese power in India. Goa subsequently became the headquarters of the Portuguese settlements in India. Portuguese hold over the coastal areas and superiority in naval power helped them significantly. By the end of the 16th century, the Portuguese captured Goa, Daman, Diu, and Salsette along with vast stretches along the Indian coast.
Dutch power in India
● The people of Holland (present Netherlands) are called the Dutch. Next to the Portuguese, the Dutch set their feet in India. Historically the Dutch have been experts in sea trade. In 1602, the United East India Company of the Netherlands was formed and given permission by the Dutch government to trade in the East Indies including India.
● The Dutch founded their first factory in Masulipatnam in Andhra Pradesh in 1605. Subsequently they also established trading centres in various parts of India.
● The Dutch conquered Ceylon from the Portuguese in 1656 CE. They also took the Portuguese forts on the Malabar coast in 1671. The Dutch gradually became a potent force capturing Nagapatam near Madras (Chennai) from the Portuguese thereby establishing their foothold in South India. In economic terms, they earned huge profit through business monopolizing in black pepper and spices. The major Indian commodities traded by the Dutch were cotton, indigo, silk, rice, and opium.
French power in India:
● The last European people to arrive in India were the French. The French East India Company was formed in 1664 CE during the reign of King Louis XIV to trade with India. In 1668, the French established their first factory at Surat and in 1669, they established another factory at Masulipatnam. In 1673, the Mughal Subedar of Bengal allowed the French to set up a township at Chandernagore.
● In 1674 CE, the French obtained a village called Pondicherry from the Sultan of Bijapur and founded a thriving city on it which later became the main stronghold of the French in India. The French East India Company with the passage of time developed its trade bastions at Mahe, Karaikal, Balasore, and Qasim Bazar. The French came to India mainly with a purpose of trade and commerce. From their arrival until 1741, the objectives of the French, like those of the British, were purely commercial. The French East India Company took hold of Yanam in 1723, Mahe on Malabar Coast in 1725 and Karaikal in 1739.

Answer: B
Explanation:
Given below is correctly matched pairs:
Journals/Newspaper – Related Personalities
1) Indian Mirror – Debendranath Tagore
2) The Statesman – Robert Knight
3) Hindu Patriot – Girish Chandra Ghosh
4) Somprakash – Dwarkanath Vidyabhushan
Additional information:
● The Indian Mirror: As India witnessed the social and political awakening during the 19th century, The Indian Mirror emerged as an influential Publications And Journals. Founded by Devendranath Tagore in 1862, it championed the cause of socio-religious reforms, women’s rights, and education. The Indian Mirror played a pivotal role in the Bengal Renaissance and provided a platform for intellectuals to voice their opinions.
● The Statesman was established in 1875 by Robert Knight. The Statesman is one of the oldest English-language newspapers in India. Known for its unbiased reporting and editorial independence, The Statesman has been a prominent voice in the Indian press. It has covered key historical events such as the Indian independence movement, the partition of India, and the formation of the Indian Republic.
● The Hindu Patriot was first published on 6 January 1853 by Madhusudan Ray, under the editorship of Girish Chandra Ghosh. It was published every Thursday from Kalakar Street where Madhusudan Ray’s press was located. Harish Chandra Mukherjee, the promising correspondent of Bengal Recorder, had joined Hindu Patriot and gradually rose to the editorial board. In 1855, he became the chief editor of Hindu Patriot. A year later he bought the newspaper from Girish Chandra Ghosh in the name of his elder brother Haran Chandra Mukherjee. Girish Chandra Ghosh continued to write till 1858, when he left Hindu Patriot to start another English newspaper named The Bengalee.
● Somprakash Patrika played a crucial role in fostering nationalism during the era of colonial India. Its weekly publication every Monday earned it the name “Somprakash.” It was initiated by Dwarkanath Vidyabhushan on 15th November 1858, under the inspiration of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. This magazine stood as a testament to Dwarkanath’s life’s work, demonstrating how a periodical could ignite social and political movements, acting as a voice of protest against unjust oppression. Somprakash pioneered open political discourse in Bengali publications, sparking conversations on pure politics. Its impact was particularly pronounced in raising the awareness of the ryots, challenging landlord injustices and the exploitation of indigo farmers and vociferously criticizing the British taxation policies that burdened the impoverished masses. Moreover, it played a significant role in advocating for industrialization.

Answer: B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Under the Act, the magistrate’s decision was final, and there could be no appeal in a court of law.
Statement 2 is correct: A vernacular newspaper could obtain an exemption from the Act’s application by submitting proof to a government censor.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Som Prakash, Bharat Mihir, Dacca Prakash, and Samachar were charged under the VPA. Incidentally, to avoid the VPA, the Amrita Bazar Patrika morphed overnight into an English newspaper.
Additional information:
Vernacular Press Act – Background
● The racial animosity between the ruler and the ruled was a bitter legacy of the 1857 revolt.
● Following 1858, the European press always supported the government in political controversies, whereas the vernacular press was critical of the government.
● There was a strong public backlash against Lytton’s imperialistic policies, which were exacerbated by a terrible famine (1876–77), on the one hand, and lavish spending on the imperial Delhi Durbar, on the other.
● The country’s vernacular press expanded dramatically in the latter half of the nineteenth century, and newspapers served as a catalyst for the new socio-political consciousness.
● Previously, newspapers were only published in Kolkata (Calcutta), Madras, Mumbai (Bombay), and Allahabad, but later, newspapers began to be published in smaller towns as well.
● Because most of the newspapers were published in small towns, they were all written in vernacular languages.
● When this act was passed in 1878, there were 20 English newspapers and 200 vernacular newspapers.
● People became more aware of political issues as a result of these vernacular newspapers, and they gradually began to ask questions about their rights.
● As a result, Lord Lytton enacted the Vernacular Press Act in 1878 in the best interests of the government.
Vernacular Press Act – Provisions
● The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was a contentious piece of legislation enacted in India during British colonial rule. Its goal was to control and regulate the vernacular press, which included newspapers and regional language publications. The Act was enacted during Lord Lytton’s tenure as Viceroy of India.
● The magistrates of the districts were empowered by this act to call upon a printer and publisher of any kind to enter into a bond, undertaking not to publish anything that might “rouse” feelings of dissatisfaction against the government without the prior permission of the government.
● The magistrate was also given the authority to deposit a security deposit, which could be confiscated if the printer violated the Bond. If a printer commits the same offense again, his press may be seized.
● Later, the pre-censorship clause was repealed, and a press commissioner was appointed to provide the press with authentic and accurate news.
● The act was met with strong opposition, and Ripon eventually repealed it in 1882.

Answer: C
Explanation:
Given below is correctly matched pairs:
Peasant movements – Aims
1) Bakasht Movement – Against the zamindars’ policies regarding occupancy rights.
2) Eka Movement – Against hike in rents.
3) Tebhaga Movement – Against zamindars and moneylenders in Bengal.
4) Ramosi uprisings – Against the British failure to take-up anti-famine measures.
Additional information:
● Bakasht Movement was organised in Bihar during 1937-39. The movement was organised by Swami Sahajanand Saraswati in Bihar. The movement was against the eviction of tenants from Bakasht lands by zamindars and led to the passing of the Bihar Tenancy Act and the Bakasht Land Tax. The Bakasht movement spread all over Bihar. Kisan Sabha actively organized and motivated the peasants in Bakasht movement. The annual conference of the Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha held at Waini in Darbhanga in December 1938 resolved to protest the zamindars and fight for the tenant’s rights in Bakasht land.
● Eka Movement is a powerful peasant organisation that started in Lucknow and rapidly spread to the districts of Hardoi, Unnao, and Sitapur. The protests continued from November 1921 until April 1922. Congress and the Khilafat movement founded it, and Madari Pasi subsequently served as its leader. The primary cause of the relocation was the high rent, which in some regions exceeded 50% of the rent as recorded. This movement was helped by the practise of share rent as well as the oppression of the kedars tasked with collecting rent.
● Tebhaga movement is one of the greatest peasant movement in the history of India. The Tebhaga movement was a movement of the sharecroppers of Bengal demanding two-thirds instead of half as their produce. The small peasants also joined hand with the sharecroppers as the gambit of the demands increased. Gradually with the intensification of the movement the charter of demands even touched the revolutionary idea of ‘land to tiller’ concept. The movement reflected the development of the political consciousness of the poor peasants and tribal sharecroppers, and it may safely be opined that it marked a turning point in the history of agrarian movements in India.
● Ramosi Uprising was a farmer uprising against the British government’s lack of anti–famine action from 1877-1887 under Vasudev Balwant Phadke in the Western Ghats area. The Ramosi revolt in Satara took place in 1822 under the leadership of Chittur Singh. As a strategy to end the uprising, the British adopted a pacifist approach and hired some of them as hill police officers. Balwant Vasudeo Phadke wanted his own army, and for it, government treasuries were robbed, and communication lines were disrupted.