Correct Option
The correct option is 1 only
Explanation
The Deccan Riots of 1875 were a series of peasant uprisings in the Bombay Deccan region, primarily directed against moneylenders. In response to the unrest, the colonial government established the Deccan Riots Commission to investigate the causes of the uprising and the condition of the agriculturalists.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: The Report of the Deccan Riots Commission (1878) was formally presented to the British Parliament. It serves as one of the most important historical documents for understanding the agrarian conditions of 19th-century India, as it was debated in the House of Commons to determine future administrative policies.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Commission collected and collated a vast amount of statistical data. It gathered detailed information regarding revenue rates, prices of agricultural produce, interest rates, and the extent of debt in the affected districts (such as Pune and Ahmednagar). Historians rely heavily on this report precisely because of its rich quantitative data.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: The Commission explicitly denied that the government's land revenue demand was the primary cause of the riots. Instead, it shifted the blame to the "rapacity" of the moneylenders (sowcars) and the "improvidence" of the peasants. It argued that the revenue assessment was fair and that the distress was due to the credit system and the legal framework that favored moneylenders.
Key Takeaway
Key Takeaway: The findings of the Deccan Riots Commission led to the enactment of the Deccan Agriculturists Relief Act, 1879, which aimed to restrict the alienation of land and provide legal relief to indebted farmers, while maintaining the colonial stance that high revenue demands were not responsible for agrarian distress.