Daily Answer Writing Challenge-12th October

Q1. There is a widespread agreement that the Revolt of 1857 was something more than a sepoy  mutiny, but something less than a national revolt. Elucidate. (250 words, 15 Marks) 

Approach: 

• Introduction: Give a brief introduction to the Revolt of 1857. 
• Body:  

• • Mention the different viewpoints about the nature of revolt.  
  • Highlight how the Revolt of 1857 was something more than a sepoy mutiny and less  than a national revolt. 
• Conclusion: Conclude suitably. 

Answer: 

The Revolt of 1857 marks a turning point in the history of India. There is a long-drawn debate about  the Revolt of 1857 and its nature.  

Different Viewpoints about the Nature of the Revolt: 

• The historians from the colonial school largely comprised British historians who termed this  event as a mutiny of Bharatiya troops in the British army. 
• Those following the Marxist school of history have termed it as an outcome of the distress  among the peasants.  
• V.D Savarkar interpreted the Revolt of 1857 as “a planned war of national independence”. 
• Benjamin Disraeli, who later became the Prime Minister of Britain accepted in the House of  Commons on July 27, 1857, “The revolt was more than a mutiny of Indian troops.” 
• S.N. Sen, in his officially sponsored centennial history of the revolt, echoed the same colonial  argument; “The movement began as a military mutiny”. 
• R.C. Majumdar’s thoughts are also identical: “What began as a mutiny ended in certain areas in  an outbreak of civil population”, which was sometimes organised by self-seeking local leaders  and sometimes was only “mob violence” caused by the breakdown of the administrative  machinery. 

Revolt of 1857; More than a Sepoy Mutiny: 

• It involved more than simply the sepoys; it also included other segments of the civilian  population (artisans, peasants, etc.). More than half of the fatalities are believed to be civilians. 
• According to Nehru, the insurrection also targeted the feudal class. The occasions where locals  attacked and set moneylender books on fire demonstrate the revolt’s revolutionary nature. 
• The uprising, which was not only led by sepoys and military leaders but also included a number  of princes and local chieftains, extended throughout north India. 
• The mutineers trusted the Mughal King to guide them toward self-rule. This demonstrates  that there was more than simply sepoy discontent; there was a desire for escape from British  authority. 
• The entire Awadh was open to rebellion. The same thing happened in several districts of Bihar.

Revolt of 1857; Less than a National Revolt: 

• There were important groups of collaborators. Some of the regions and groups that experienced  the benefits of British rule remained loyal.   

• • Bengali middle class remained loyal as they had material interests in the new order and  often a deep, ideological commitment to new ideas, according to Judith Brown.  
• The absence of unity was another crucial aspect. Punjabi princes hated the Hindustani soldiers. 
• As per C A Bayly, those who rebelled had various motives which were not always connected to  any specific grievance against the British. Often, they fought against each other. 

Although there are many debates about the nature of the 1857 movement, 1857 stands firmly in a  historical continuum which sowed the seeds of nationalism and the quest for freedom from British  rule.