What was the Indian Rebellion of 1857 ?

The economic policy of the British adversely affected every section of the Indian society. The British exploited the economic resources of India to their advantage and drained her wealth by crippling the Indian trade and industry.

Under the British, India turned into a colonial economy to serve the British capitalist interests.

Indian resources were unabashedly exported to London to promote British industries. Consequently, the country was reduced to poverty as traditional handicrafts and industries were ruined.

Many people were rendered jobless and there was overcrowding in the agrarian sector.

Further the high revenue demand crippled the agrarian sector. Both the peasants and the zamindars were pushed by the British to produce more to appropriate the maximum revenue.

The various revenue settlements were designed to benefit the government and displayed total disregard for the cultivators.

In case of failure to pay the stipulated amount the lands of the zamindar were taken away by the government. A large number of zamindars were thus dispossessed of their lands and estates as part of this policy.

These grievances left the Indian people dissatisfied of the British eventually turned out to be bitter enemies of the British.

These grievances left the Indian people dissatisfied of the British eventually turned out to be bitter enemies of the British.

Social and Religious Causes:

The British looked down upon the Indians as inferior race and discriminated with them racially at every step. Indians were not allowed at many places such as railway compartments and public places as parks and hotels as these were specially reserved for the Englishmen.

This racial arrogance of the British hurt the Indian masses most and they began to regard the Englishmen as their worst enemies.

The attempt to bring about social reforms in India by the British was not liked by the general public.

The social legislations on the evils as sati, infanticide, re-marriage of widows, etc. were considered as interference in the religious matters of Indians about which the Englishmen knew nothing.

The introduction of English education, the propagation of the work of the Christian missionaries and the changing of the Hindu law of property with a view to facilitate the conversion of Hindus to Christianity alarmed many orthodox Indians.

They feared that these practices would upset the social and religious order of the traditional Indian society.

Military Causes:

Dissatisfaction was widespread among the military rank and file under the British. There was great inequality in treatment between the Indian and the British counterparts in terms of salary and other benefits.

There was also a disparity in numbers between the Indian and European troops as the latter numbered far less than the Indians. Majority of the Indian soldiers were sent to Crimea, China and Iran to fight wars of the English.

The Indian soldiers were considered inferior and were ill-treated by high officers.

The high ranks in the army were exclusively reserved for the Englishmen and the Indians were deliberately excluded from responsible positions.

What hurt the Indian soldiers most was the prohibition to wear caste and religious marks while serving that amounted to interference in their personal affairs by the British.

The immediate cause of the revolt was the introduction of the new Enfield rifle and the greased cartridge. In loading the rifle the sepoy before inserting the cartridge had to bite off its top.

It was believed that the grease was made out of the fats of cows and pigs. This was objectionable to the Hindus and Muslims alike.

The revolt spread to Berhampur in Bengal. On 24th April 1857 about ninety men of the Native Cavalry stationed at Meerut refused to accept the greased cartridges.