Consider the following statements about the petitions found in the archival records of western India:
(A) They were presented to the panchayat complaining about extortionate taxation.
(B) They complained about the demand for unpaid labour, called begar.
(C) They were usually made by villagers from the highest rungs of rural society.
(D) They were usually made by zamindars against the officials of the state.
(E) They were often made collectively by a caste group or a community.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A, B and E only
(A) They were presented to the panchayat complaining about extortionate taxation. — Correct. Records from Rajasthan and Maharashtra contain petitions to the panchayat against extortionate taxation.
(B) They complained about the demand for unpaid labour, called begar. — Correct. Petitions also protested against begar, the demand for unpaid labour made by superior castes or state officials.
(C) They were usually made by villagers from the highest rungs of rural society. — Incorrect. Petitioners came from the lowest rungs of rural society. The rank in the statement is reversed.
(D) They were usually made by zamindars against the officials of the state. — Incorrect. Zamindars were among the elite groups the petitions protested against. The petitioners were humble villagers.
(E) They were often made collectively by a caste group or a community. — Correct. Petitions were often made collectively, by a caste group or a community, against demands they saw as morally wrong.
NCERT (2026-27): “2.2 Panchayats and headmen … “well, by a caste group or a community protesting” |