express your dissatisfaction towards the rule of Britishers in 20 points
Answers
1. The British destroyed many independent empires and made them into one British India. E.g. Sikkim, Assam, Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu etc were never in the Mughal Empire.
2. They destroyed the 500 year old reign of the Mughals which had actually brought everyone closer. There were no racial, religious or ethnic tensions. These only started after the British came.
3. They repressed local religious practices. E.g. closing down the largest mosque in the world at the time, the Lahore Badshai Mosque
4. The British East India company, spread the use of Opium not just in China but also in India
5. British propaganda showed Indians as low intelligent beings who need reformation.
6. The British allowed English businessmen to setup businesses , out competing local businesses
7. They not only took power from Mughals, they killed each and every family member until they sent the last mughal to live in asylum.
8. They destroyed many mandirs
9. Many local hindus were forcibly converted to Christianity
10. Early reports of rape committed by british army were common
11. They changed the local calendar system to gregorian, something that ordinary people were not used to off
12. The law and legal matters were all conducted in English, which meant ordinary non-speaking indian could not do much about it.
13. The British forced many people to fight with them in world war I and II
14. One of the biggest crimes were the begal famine, which was man-made and lead to the death of thousands.
15. After the war of independence, they mercilessly tortured and killed thousands of people
16. They killed the famous Tipu Sultan of Mysore.
17. They took slaves from India to be used in Plantations in far away places such as South Africa, Kenya, Guyana etc.
18. They levied heavy taxes to fund their wars else where in the world
19. The British imposed a superiority culture in Indians, which, over the generations meant that Indians thought anyone with White skin is superior.
20. When the British left, they have completed changed the landscape of South Asia from the language, culture, clothes and even food and music
The rule of the Britishers was disliked by every section of society:
1. Indian soldiers formed a major part of the British army. But they were not given any high posts or promotion.
2. The wages of the Indian soldiers were very less compared to the British soldiers.
3. Indian soldiers were sent across the sea to fight. It was against their religious sentiments.
4. In 1857 a new Enfield Rifle was introduced. Its cartridge had to be bitten to be used. It was said that the cartridge had been smeared with the fat of the cow and pig. Hindus regard the cow as sacred. Pork was offensive to the Muslims. So it hurt their sentiments.
5. Forests were a source of livelihood for the tribals.The British made forest laws from time to time which infringed upon the rights of the tribals.
6. The Madras Forest Act of 1882 restricted the movement of the tribals in the forest areas.
7. It prevented them from using the forest for firewood and toddy.
8. It did not allow them to engage in their traditional lifestyle of Podu or shifting cultivation.
9. Besides this the British contractors exploited and oppressed the workers of the hill tribes.
10. The condition of weavers deteriorated.
11. The British brought machine made goods to India due to which the weavers lost the market for their goods.
12. The British took raw material from India. With the help of the railways they could easily get their raw materials from the remote parts of the country. So the weavers suffered.
13. The weavers had to work for low wages and sell their things at lower prices.
14. The condition of farmers was difficult. They had to pay high taxes to the zamindars or the revenue collectors who worked on behalf of the British.
15. The Doctrine of Lapse took away the kingdoms of the rulers who did not have any heir.
16. The British deprived Indians of their freedom.
17. It took away the independence of the nation and dominated the land politically.
18. The laws passed by the British were unfair to the Indians.
19. They waged several wars in India.
20. They supported one ruler against the other and thus weakened the Indian rulers.