Which one of the following statements about the ishtahars issued during the Revolt of 1857 is correct ?

The ishtahars (proclamations) issued during the Revolt of 1857 were designed to unite various sections of Indian society against British rule. These proclamations repeatedly appealed to all citizens regardless of caste or creed, framing the rebellion as a collective struggle where both Hindus and Muslims had everything to gain or lose [1]. A key feature of these documents was their historical nostalgia; they harked back to the pre-British era and glorified the peaceful co-existence of different communities under the Mughal Empire [1]. For instance, proclamations issued in the name of Bahadur Shah II urged people to fight under the symbols of both Muhammad and Mahavir to ensure communal harmony [1]. While some proclamations were issued by Muslim princes, they deliberately avoided narrow religious messaging to maintain a united front against the common 'infidel' enemy [1].

Sources

1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: REBELS AND THE RAJ > 3.1 The vision of unity > p. 271