The correct option is 2 and 3 only.
Explanation
The Revolt of 1857 involved a complex interplay of grievances and coordination. Historians have debated the extent of organized planning versus spontaneous uprisings. While there was significant communication among sepoy lines, the existence of a centralized master plan remains a subject of historical scrutiny.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Incorrect. While there was undoubtedly communication and coordination between different cantonments (via letters, symbols like chapatis and lotus flowers, and traveling fakirs), there is no clear documentary evidence to prove that a central committee of Indian rulers formally planned the specific dates of the mutinies or orchestrated the revolt as a unified conspiracy from the beginning. The coordination was often local or regional rather than centrally directed by a supreme council of rulers.
- Statement 2 is Correct. The sepoys maintained lines of communication between regiments. For instance, the 7th Awadh Irregular Cavalry refused to accept the new cartridges in early May 1857. Following this refusal, they wrote to the 48th Native Infantry stating that "they had acted for the faith and awaited the 48th's orders." This demonstrates that collective action and inter-regimental coordination were taking place.
- Statement 3 is Correct. Charles Ball, a historian of the uprising, noted the democratic nature of decision-making within the sepoy lines. He observed that panchayats were a nightly occurrence in the Kanpur sepoy lines, where sepoys would gather to discuss their course of action collectively. This suggests that the rebellion was not merely driven by a few leaders but involved collective deliberation.
Key Takeaway
The Revolt of 1857 exhibited strong elements of coordination through informal networks, panchayats, and inter-regiment communication, but it lacked a proven, pre-existing central committee of rulers directing the entire movement.