Peasants Zamindars And State Agrarian Society And The Mughal Empire C 1500 1750

The report that reproduced zamindars’ and ryots’ petitions as appendices for consideration of the British Parliament is The Fifth Report. The Fifth Report, presented in 1813, was part of a series of reports produced by the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Affairs of the East India Company. It focused on the functioning and management of the East India Company in India. Among various documents, it included petitions and grievances from both zamindars (landlords) and ryots (peasants) to provide a comprehensive view of the situation in India to the British Parliament. This was vital for understanding the impact of British policies on the local populations and addressing their concerns.

To determine which statements about the zamindars are true, let's analyze each statement:

1. (A) Milkiyat lands were cultivated for the general use of the people. - False. Milkiyat lands were private holdings of the zamindars, not necessarily for general use.
2. (B) Zamindars could sell, bequeath or mortgage milkiyat lands. - True. Zamindars had rights over their milkiyat lands, including the ability to sell or mortgage them.
3. (C) Zamindars collected revenue for themselves. - False. While zamindars were involved in collecting revenue, it was often for the state or ruling authority, although they retained a portion.
4. (D) Most Zamindars had fortresses and armed contingents. - True. They possessed fortresses and had their own armed forces, which provided them autonomy and power.
5. (E) Control over military resources was a source of power for the Zamindars. - True. Their control over military resources was a significant power base.

The correct answer is therefore: (B), (D) and (E) only.

To determine which statements are correct, we must understand each historical reference related to the Santhals:

• Statement (A): Moneylenders were called ‘dikus’.
  Correct. In the context of tribal history, ‘dikus’ referred to outsiders, like moneylenders and traders, who exploited the local populace.
• Statement (B): Zamindars hired the Santhals to reclaim land.
  Correct. The Santhals were invited by zamindars to clear and cultivate land that had remained uncultivated, particularly in the area of 'Damin-i-koh'.
• Statement (C): Santhals were merchants.
  Incorrect. Santhals were primarily an agricultural community and were not known as merchants.
• Statement (D): Land of the Santhals was demarcated as ‘Damin-i-koh’.
  Correct. 'Damin-i-koh' was the demarcated area given to the Santhals to live and cultivate, reducing interference from outsiders.
• Statement (E): Santhals charged heavy land revenue from dikus moneylenders.
  Incorrect. The Santhals did not impose land revenue on others; rather, they were often subjected to exploitative practices by outsiders.

Given these analyses, the correct option that matches the accurate statements is (A), (B), and (D) only.