There was the rumour that the British government had hatched a gigantic conspiracy to destroy the caste and religion of Hindus and Muslims. There was fear and suspicion that the British wanted to convert Indians to Christianity. Panic spread fast. British officers tried to allay their fears, but in vain. These fears stirred men to action. The response to the call for action was reinforced by the prophecy that British rule would come to an end on the centenary of the Battle of Plassey, on 23 June 1857. Rumours were not the only thing circulating at the time.
The lines left out after the sentence about a gigantic conspiracy tell how, the rumours said, the British were carrying it out. Which of the following do they describe?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → The bone dust of cows and pigs mixed into the flour sold in the market
Option (1) The fat of cows and pigs mixed into the sugar sold in the market — Incorrect. Fat was the charge about the cartridges. The food rumour was about bone dust in flour.
Option (2) The fat of cows and pigs mixed into the ghee sold in the market — Incorrect. Fat of cows and pigs was the charge made about the Enfield cartridges. The food rumour spoke of bone dust mixed into flour.
Option (3) The bone dust of cows and pigs mixed into the salt sold in the market — Incorrect. The rumour spoke of bone dust, and the food in it was flour (atta).
Option (4) The bone dust of cows and pigs mixed into the flour sold in the market — Correct. The rumour said the British had mixed bone dust of cows and pigs into the flour sold in the market, to destroy caste and religion. So sepoys and common people in towns and cantonments refused to touch the atta.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.4 Rumours and prophecies … |