Q. Consider the primary challenges faced by the Nawabs of Bengal, such as Siraj-ud-Daula, against the English East India Company (EIC):
1.The Nawabs were frequently undermined by internal conspiracies involving powerful local bankers and ambitious military commanders.
2.The EIC leveraged the misuse of the Dastak (free trade permit) primarily to avoid internal tolls on goods meant for the Bengal market.
3.The Nawabs faced continuous threats from the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad, forcing them to divert troops and treasury away from Calcutta.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1: Correct. This was the most critical internal challenge. Conspirators like Mir Jafar (Commander-in-Chief), Jagat Seth (chief banker), and Omi Chand were instrumental in Siraj-ud-Daula’s defeat at Plassey.
- Statement 2: Correct. The Dastak, granted for duty-free goods exported/imported by the Company, was illegally extended by EIC servants to cover their private trade. This allowed them to bypass the local tolls (rahdari), causing massive revenue loss and resentment among local traders.
- Statement 3: Incorrect. By the time of Siraj-ud-Daula (1756), the Maratha threat in Bengal had been settled by Alivardi Khan’s concessions (ceding Orissa), and the Nizam of Hyderabad was not a direct threat to Bengal’s borders. The major external threats were the Marathas (earlier) and the British (later).
