Question

When the British captured Bengal they framed many new laws to regulate the rules regarding marriage, adoption, the inheritance of property, etc. State whether true or false.

Answer 1

Answer: The given statement is true. British did frame new laws regarding marriage, inheritance of property, adoption etc.

• British passed laws to ban the Sati system in 1829.
• British passed laws in 1856, permitting widow remarriage.
• However, it is pertinent to mention that British had passed these laws after a lot of efforts were put in by Social reformers to change the ills that existed in the society.
• Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar fought for widow remarriage.
• Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, one of the most popular social reformers used ancient texts to suggest that widows were permitted to remarry.
• He was boycotted by people who were against widow remarriage.
• Sati was banned in 1829, due to the efforts of Social Reformers like Raja Rammohun Roy.
• The momentum for reform gained strength, with the writings of women’s organisations on the issue and one of the customs that was challenged was the child marriage.
• To make a law preventing child marriage, Indian legislators in the Central Legislative Assembly played a vital role.
• Hence without any struggles or bitter debates, the Child Marriage Restraint Act was passed in 1929.
• As per the law, no woman below the age of 16 and no man below the age of 18 could marry.
• Later, these limits were raised to 18 years for women and 21 years for men.