Q. With reference to the tribal leader and freedom fighter Birsa Munda, consider the following statements:
1.He launched the historic Ulgulan rebellion to protest the colonial disruption of the traditional Khuntkatti land tenure system.
2.He founded the distinct, reformist Birsait sect, which blended tribal traditions with elements of Vaishnavism.
3.Following his martyrdom in 1900, the colonial government passed the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 to safeguard tribal land rights.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Answer: D
Notes:
Detailed Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: Birsa Munda led the Ulgulan movement (1895–1900) across the Chotanagpur region to resist British policies and contractors (dikus) who had undermined the Khuntkatti system (customary joint tribal land ownership).
- Statement 2 is correct: He established the Birsait sect to encourage spiritual and social reform. The movement urged tribal communities to abandon superstitions, stop alcohol consumption, and return to an egalitarian lifestyle influenced by Vaishnavism.
- Statement 3 is correct: Although the rebellion was suppressed and Birsa Munda died in Ranchi Jail in 1900, the movement compelled the British administration to pass the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908. This legislation prohibited the sale of tribal lands to non-tribal buyers, offering legal protection to indigenous communities.
