Insights Static Quiz -159, 2018 –History

Answer – A

• Simon Fraser, the Political Agent, and several other Englishmen were killed in Delhi; the public offices were either occupied or destroyed. The capture of Delhi and the proclamation of Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of Hindustan gave a positive political meaning to the Revolt and provided a rallying point for the rebels by recalling the past glory of the imperial city. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Revolt at Meerut and the capture of Delhi was the precursor to a widespread mutiny by the sepoys and rebellion almost all over North India, as well as Central and Western India. South India remained quiet and Punjab and Bengal were only marginally affected. Hence statement 2 is correct.

Answer – A

• Even before the Meerut incident, there were rumblings of resentment in various cantonments. The 19th Native Infantry at Berhampur, which refused to use the newly introduced Enfield rifle, was disbanded in March 1857.
• A young sepoy of the 34th Native Infantry, Mangal Pande, went a step further and fired at the Sergeant Major of his regiment. He was overpowered and executed and his regiment too, was disbanded.
• The 7th Oudh Regiment later which defied its officers met with a similar fate.

Answer – A

• Within a month of the capture of Delhi, the Revolt spread to different parts of the country: Kanpur, Lucknow, Benares, Allahabad, Bareilly, Jagdishpur and Jhansi.

Answer – B

• The most outstanding leader of the Revolt was Rani Lakshmibhai, who assumed the leadership ofthe sepoys at Jhansi. Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General, had refused to allow her adopted son to succeed to the throne after her husband died and had annexed the state by the application of theDoctrine of Lapse. The Rani had tried everything to reverse the decision. She even offered to keep Jhansi ‘safe’ for the British if they would grant her wishes. When it was clear nothing was working she joined the sepoys and, in time, became one of the most formidable enemies the British had tocontend with.
• Though Lord Dalhousie devised “Doctrine of Lapse”, but he remained in office till 1856, after whom Lord Canning took over. Hence option B is correct.

Answer – D

• In Bihar, the Revolt was led by Kunwar Singh, the zamindar of Jagdishpur, a 70-year-old man on thebrink of bankruptcy. He nursed a grudge against the British. He had been deprived of his estates bythem and his repeated appeals to be entrusted with their management again fell ondeaf ears. Eventhough he had not planned an uprising, he unhesitatingly joined the sepoys when they reached Arrah from Dinapore. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• At Barielly, Khan Bahadur, a descendant of the former ruler of Rohilkhand, was placed in command. Living on a pension granted by the British, he was not too enthusiastic about this and had in fact, warned the Commissioner of the impending mutiny. Yet, once the Revolt broke out, he assumed the administration, organized an army of 40,000 soldiers and offered stiff resistance to the British. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• At Kanpur, the natural choice was Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the last Peshwa, Baji Rao II. He had refused the family title and, banished from Poona, was living near Kanpur. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.
• Begum Hazrat Mahal took over the reigns at Lucknow, where popular sympathy was overwhelmingly in favour of the deposed Nawab. Her son, Birjis Qadir, was proclaimed the Nawab and a regular administration was organized with important offices shared equally by Muslims and Hindus.