Question

Briefly explain Bastar rebellion. How did British government supress this rebellion? (5 mark)

Answer 1

The Bastar rebellion occurred in 1910 in reaction to the Forest Act enacted by the British government. The Act tried to restrict access to the tribals to the forests in Bastar. The tribals had traditionally relied on forests to fulfil various needs like hunting animals for food, collecting edible plants, obtaining firewood and grazing their livestock. The British wanted to develop the forests along commercial lines to obtain timber for building railway lines. Hence, they wanted to prevent tribals from using the forests. This forced the tribals of Bastar to rebel.

The British sent in troops to suppress the rebellion. The troops surrounded rebel villages and punished the rebel leaders. It took them three months to suppress the rebellion.