The correct option is 2 and 3 only.
Explanation
To suppress the Revolt of 1857, the British adopted a two-pronged strategy: military repression backed by draconian laws (the "stick") and political conciliation to win back the elite (the "carrot"). These measures aimed to not only crush the immediate uprising but also fracture the unity between the sepoys and the rural landed aristocracy.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Incorrect. The imposition of martial law was not restricted to the city of Delhi. In May and June 1857, the British passed a series of Acts that placed the entirety of North India under martial law to facilitate swift military action.
- Statement 2 is Correct. The legal framework enacted during the revolt was extremely harsh. Special Acts gave not only military officers but also ordinary Britons the power to try and punish Indians suspected of rebellion. Ordinary processes of law and trial were suspended, and punishment was often summary execution.
- Statement 3 is Correct. As part of the strategy to break the rebellion's momentum, the British sought to separate the rural elite from the sepoys. They promised to return estates to big landholders who had rebelled, provided they surrendered and had not been involved in the killing of British personnel. This policy successfully induced many taluqdars and landlords to withdraw support from the revolt.
Key Takeaway
The British suppression of the 1857 Revolt involved extending
martial law across North India, empowering ordinary Britons to punish rebels, and using
conciliatory policies (restoration of estates) to win back the loyalty of the landed aristocracy.