The correct answer is Option (4) → (D) only
(A) A privy purse was given to the Princely States. (True). The privy purse was a payment made by the government to the former rulers of the princely states of India.
(B) It was given as an assurance that after the dissolution of princely rule, the then rulers families would be allowed to retain certain private property and given a grant in heredity or government allowance. (True). The privy purse was a form of compensation and a guarantee for the integration of the princely states into the Indian Union. It was part of the agreements for accession.
(C) At the time of accession, there was little criticism of these privileges since integration and consolidation was the primary aim. (True). During the initial years after independence, the main objective was the quick and peaceful integration of over 500 princely states into the new Indian republic. Therefore, the privy purses and other privileges were seen as a necessary compromise to achieve this goal, and criticism was minimal.
(D) Hereditary privileges were consonant with the principles of equality, social and economic justice. (False). The concept of hereditary privileges, which granted special rights and payments to a specific group of people based on their birth, is fundamentally against the principles of equality and social and economic justice enshrined in the Indian Constitution. The privileges were a temporary and pragmatic arrangement, but they were never considered aligned with the long-term goals of a socialist, democratic republic. The privy purses were eventually abolished by Indira Gandhi in 1971. |
