Consider the following statements relating to Indigo revolt : 1. The Indigo revolt is particularly memorable for the role played by- the intelligentsia to uphold the cause of the movement. 2.After the revolt, the colonial authorities set up the Indigo Commission to enquire into the grievances of the indigo cultivators. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

The Indigo Revolt (1859-60) is historically significant for the active support it received from the Bengali intelligentsia. Educated middle-class professionals, journalists, and missionaries organized campaigns, wrote articles, and used legal means to uphold the peasants' cause [2][t3][t7]. Notable examples include Harish Chandra Mukherjee’s reports in the 'Hindu Patriot' and Dinabandhu Mitra’s play 'Nil Darpan', which depicted the planters' atrocities [t2][t5]. Following the widespread unrest, the colonial government established the Indigo Commission in 1860 to investigate the grievances of the cultivators [c1][t4]. The commission's report was highly critical of the planters, affirming that ryots could not be compelled to grow indigo against their will [t4]. This led to a government notification in November 1860 protecting the peasants, which eventually resulted in the decline of indigo cultivation in Bengal [c1][t5]. Thus, both statements are historically accurate.

Sources

1. [2] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Colonial Era in India > Peasant uprisings against economic exploitation > p. 108