Question map
Which one of the following statements about the Indigo Revolt of 1859 is conect ?
Explanation
The Indigo Revolt of 1859, also known as the Blue Mutiny, was a significant peasant uprising in Bengal against the oppressive indigo plantation system [2]. Unlike the Deccan Riots which occurred in Poona and Ahmadnagar against moneylenders, the Indigo Revolt was centered in Bengal districts like Nadia and Jessore. A defining feature of this movement was the active support it received from the Bengali intelligentsia [3]. Educated middle-class Bengalis, including journalists and writers, organized powerful campaigns, held mass meetings, and provided legal support to the peasantry. Notable contributions included Harish Chandra Mukherjee's journalism in 'The Hindu Patriot' and Dinabandhu Mitra's play 'Nil Darpan', which highlighted the planters' atrocities. While some petty zamindars and ex-employees of planters provided local leadership, the movement's primary target was the European planters rather than the zamindars themselves [1].
Sources
- [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947 > Indigo Revolt (1859-60) > p. 575
- [2] https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Indigo-Revolt/623607
- [3] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Indigo-Revolt