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Resistance and Rebellion: Characteristics and Analyses

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Resistance and Rebellion: Characteristics and Analyses

Colonial Forest Law and reactions of the Adivasi people
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SanyasiFakir Rebellion (1763-1800), WahabiFarazi Movement in Bengal
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Indigo Revolt
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Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

1.Who was known as the ‘Wat Tyler of Bengal’? 

(A) Tantia Tope (B) Ramratan Mallik (C) Bishucharan Biswas           (D)Digambar Biswas
 Ans. (C) Bishucharan Biswas

2.The ‘Khuntkatti system’ was prevalent in which society?

 (A) Santhal (B) Munda (C) Kol (D) Bhil
 Ans. (B) Munda

3.The Indigo Commission was formed in – (A) 1858 AD (B) 1859 AD (C) 1860 AD (D) 1861 AD
 Ans. (C) 1860 AD

4.Who was revered as ‘Bhagwan’ (God) by the Mundas? (A) Sui Munda (B) Kol Munda (C) Birsa Munda (D) Sidhu
 Ans. (C) Birsa Munda

5.The first rebellion organized against British rule in India was the –

 (A) Chuar Rebellion (B) Sannyasi-Fakir Rebellion (C) Rangpur Rebellion (D) Munda Rebellion
 Ans. (A) Chuar Rebellion

Short Answer Questions (SAQ)

1.Why was the South-West Frontier Agency formed?

Answer: Although the British government temporarily suppressed the Kol Rebellion with advanced military weapons, they were quite concerned about the possibility of renewed uprisings. Therefore, in 1833 AD, they hastily demarcated a separate territory for the Kols called the ‘South-West Frontier Agency,’ restricted the entry of outsiders there, and enforced a set of separate rules and regulations for the Kols in that region.

2.What is meant by revolution?
Answer: The term revolution refers to a rapid, fundamental, lasting, and effective change in the existing system. Such a revolution can occur with or without bloodshed. For example, the French Revolution of 1789 AD is an example of a bloody revolution. On the other hand, the Industrial Revolution that took place in England in the second half of the eighteenth century is an example of a bloodless revolution.

3.What was the main objective of the Munda Rebellion?
Answer: The Munda people, led by Birsa Munda, organized themselves against the oppression of the colonial rulers and the local administration. They fought to restore their old communal ownership of land, known as the ‘Khuntkatti system.’ They also united with the aim of establishing an independent Munda state.

Long Answer Questions (LAQ)

  1. Write a note on the Kol Rebellion.

     Answer: Among the numerous peasant-tribal rebellions that occurred in India as a result of the Company’s misrule and economic policies, the Kol Rebellion was a significant one.

     Introduction: The tribal communities residing in the regions of Chotanagpur, Singhbhum, Manbhum, etc., which are now part of present-day Bihar and Jharkhand, were known as Kols. Dependent on agriculture and forest resources, the Kol tribal people were accustomed to earning their livelihood in forest lands, away from modern civilization. The Kols were further divided into sub-communities such as ‘Ho,’ ‘Oraon,’ and ‘Munda.’

     Causes of the Rebellion: When the Kol-inhabited regions gradually came under the British revenue system, the high revenue demands of the external leaseholders and their brutal oppression in case of non-payment angered the Kols. Simultaneously, the Company’s forest laws deprived the Kols of their traditional rights over the forests. This attack on their lives and livelihoods made the Kols rebellious.

     Beginning and Spread of the Rebellion: Although sporadic rebellions began in 1820 AD, it was in 1831-32 AD that they first initiated a united rebellion. Ordinary farmers, blacksmiths, potters, cowherds, and other lower-class people joined the rebellious Kols.

     Leadership: With courageous leadership qualities, the Kol Rebellion gradually became unstoppable. The Kol Rebellion was led by Buddhu Bhagat, Joa Bhagat, Kol Munda, and Sui Munda, among others.

     Suppression: Ultimately, in 1833 AD, the English government suppressed this rebellion with the help of a large army.

     Significance: In the literal sense, the Kol Rebellion was a united protest of the oppressed, exploited, and lower-class people. Although the rebellion ultimately failed, in 1833 AD, the government was forced to designate a territory called the ‘South-West Frontier Agency’ for the Kol tribals and enforce several separate rules and regulations for the Kols in this region.

  2. What were the objectives of the colonial government in enacting the Forest Laws?

     Answer: The two Forest Laws enacted by the English government in India, first in 1865 AD and later in 1878 AD, had the primary objective of protecting colonial interests and consolidating their dominance.

     The colonial government had a greedy eye on the forest resources of India for the expansion of the British Royal Navy and for making wooden sleepers for the widespread railway network in India.

     There was an objective to clear the extensive forest lands of India and make them cultivable, as well as an urge to accustom the tribal communities to permanent agriculture instead of Jhum cultivation (shifting cultivation).

     The main objective of the British government officials was to increase revenue by expanding agricultural land and to increase income and profit by using forest resources for commercial interests.

     It is also true that the British government took the initiative to conserve the forests of India by dividing them into three categories: reserved forests, protected forests, and village forests. However, in maintaining colonial interests and profits, the application of the Forest Laws struck at the root of the self-determination and livelihoods of the tribal communities, which led to the rise of various peasant and tribal rebellions.
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