Read the following paragraph and snwer the question given below.

Rumours and prophecies played a part in moving people to action. The Sepoys who had arrived in Delhi from Meerut had told Bahadur Shah about the bullets coated with the fat of cow and pigs and that biting those bullets would corrupt their caste and religion. They were referring to the cartridges of the Enfield Rifles that had just been given to them. The British tried to explain to the Sepoys that this was not the case but the rumour of greased cartridge spread like wild fire across the Sepoy lines of North India.

In the given question, a statement of Assertion is followed by a statement of Reason. Mark the correct answer.

Assertion: The Indian Sepoys refused to use cartridges of the Enfield rifles introduced in 1857.

Reason: According to a rumour, the cartridges to be used in newly introduced Enfield rifles were greased with the fat of cows and pigs and biting those bullets would corrupt their caste and religion.

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The correct answer is Option 1 - Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

Assertion: The Indian Sepoys refused to use cartridges of the Enfield rifles introduced in 1857.

Reason:  According to a rumour, the cartridges to be used in newly introduced Enfield rifles were greased with the fat of cows and pigs  and biting those bullets would corrupt their caste and religion.

The Reason correctly explains why the Assertion is true. The refusal to use the cartridges was primarily because of the rumour regarding the use of cow and pig fat, which would compromise their religious beliefs and practices.

Rumours and prophecies played a part in moving people to action. As we saw, the sepoys who had arrived in Delhi from Meerut had told Bahadur Shah about bullets coated with the fat of cows and pigs and that biting those bullets would corrupt their caste and religion. They were referring to the cartridges of the Enfield rifles which had just been given to them. The British tried to explain to the sepoys that this was not the case but the rumour that the new cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pigs spread like wildfire across the sepoy lines of North India.