Document+F+Indians+Peasants

** Indian Peasants **
 * Document F **

Some historians have debated the role of peasants in the Rebellion of 1857. The peasants generally turned against their natural enemies, especially enemies that had profited from the British land administration. Many peasants were distressed by the revenue payments demanded by the British. Groups that had once been pastoral moved to plunder neighboring towns. Some individuals capitalized on the disorder and plundered the cities.

“The Hindu inhabitants of the town of Sirsa fled in dismay chiefly to Bikaner territory, and the Muhammedan (Muslim) population of the surrounding villages rose //en masse// and began to plunder the town and the neighboring Hindu villages. The Tahsildar of Sirsa, the Revenue Sarishtadar and the Kotwali Muharrir were murdered and the records of the District Office were torn and scattered about…The destruction of property was most wanton. Whatever the insurgents were unable to carry away they burned or broke to pieces and for a time the most violent portion of the population had it all its own way. The Ranghars and Pachadas of Hissar and the Bhattis of Sirsa at once took advantage of the subversion of British rule to revert to their old predatory habits and the district was at once plunged into utter anarchy and confusion.”[|[1]]

There were similar problems in Meerut. British General Hewitt acknowledged in a letter:

“…In consequence of the district being at present left totally unprotected, it has become almost entirely disorganized, wholesale butcheries and plunderings are prevalent throughout it, and unless some vigorous measures are taken to assist our friends and punish our foes, we shall be totally deserted by the mass of the people; those still faithful to us are becoming disgusted at our apparent apathy, and mutiny and rebellion of today may become a revolution.”[|[2]]

At Ganga Parshad, a 3rd Cavalry sowar with a sword galloped through the town shouting, “Brothers, Hindoos, and Mussulmans (Muslims), haste and join us, we are going to a religious war. Be assured we will not harm those who join us, but fight only against the Government.”[|[3]]

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[|[1]] Stokes, E. (1986). //The peasant armed: The Indian revolt of 1857//. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Ed. C.A. Bayly. p. 121

[|[2]] Stokes p. 156

[|[3]] Stokes p. 145