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With reference to Doctrine of Lapse, consider the following statements:
1. It was an annexation policy followed widely by William Bentinck.
2. As per this, any adopted son of the Indian ruler could not be proclaimed as heir to the kingdom.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
  • a)
    1 only
  • b)
    2 only
  • c)
    Both 1 and 2
  • d)
    Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
With reference to Doctrine of Lapse, consider the following statements...
Explanation:

The Doctrine of Lapse was a controversial annexation policy implemented by Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856. It aimed to annex Indian princely states that did not have a natural heir or where the ruler adopted someone as the heir.

Statement 1: It was an annexation policy followed widely by William Bentinck.

This statement is incorrect. The Doctrine of Lapse was not widely followed by William Bentinck but by his successor, Lord Dalhousie. William Bentinck served as the Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835 and did not implement the Doctrine of Lapse during his tenure.

Statement 2: As per this, any adopted son of the Indian ruler could not be proclaimed as heir to the kingdom.

This statement is correct. The Doctrine of Lapse stated that if an Indian ruler died without a natural heir, the British East India Company could annex the state. However, even if the ruler adopted a son as the heir, the adopted son would not be recognized as the legitimate heir under the Doctrine of Lapse. This policy aimed to ensure that the British could annex states that did not have a direct hereditary succession.

Lord Dalhousie implemented the Doctrine of Lapse to annex several Indian princely states, including Satara, Sambalpur, Jhansi, Nagpur, and Awadh. The policy faced significant opposition from the Indian rulers and the Indian population, as it violated their traditional practices of adoption and succession.

The annexation of states under the Doctrine of Lapse led to widespread discontent and played a significant role in fueling the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The policy was eventually abandoned in 1858 after the British Crown took over the governance of India from the East India Company.

In conclusion, statement 1 is incorrect as the Doctrine of Lapse was not widely followed by William Bentinck, and statement 2 is correct as the policy did not recognize adopted sons as legitimate heirs to the Indian princely states.
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Community Answer
With reference to Doctrine of Lapse, consider the following statements...
Recently, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi paid tributes to Rani Lakshmibai, the Jhansi queen known for her role in the 1857 Mutiny, on her 187th birth anniversary.
  • Rani Lakshmibai, one of the warriors of India's struggle for Independence, was born as Manikarnika Tambe in Varanasi.
  • Lakshmibai got married to Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, the Maharaja of Jhansi and got the name of Rani Lakshmibai.
  • Then Lakshmibai and Gangadhar Rao adopted Rao's cousin's son, Anand Rao, who was later renamed as Damodar. Soon after they adopted Anand, Maharaja died due to an illness.
  • The East India Company took advantage of the Maharaja's death and applied the Doctrine of Lapse.
What was the Doctrine of Lapse?
  • It was an annexation policy followed widely by Lord Dalhousie when he was India's Governor-General from 1848 to 1856.
    • According to this, any princely state under the direct or indirect (as a vassal) control of the East India Company where the ruler did not have a legal male heir would be annexed by the company
    • As per this, any adopted son of the Indian ruler could not be proclaimed as heir to the kingdom. This challenged the Indian ruler's long-held authority to appoint an heir of their choice.
  • So, due to the Doctrine of Lapse, Britishers did not accept Damodar Rao as the legal heir. The plan of the Britishers was to annex Jhansi. They seized the state jewels, granted her an annual pension of Rs 60,000 and asked her to leave the fort forever.
Hence only statement 2 is correct.
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With reference to Doctrine of Lapse, consider the following statements:1. It was an annexation policy followed widely by William Bentinck.2. As per this, any adopted son of the Indian ruler could not be proclaimed as heir to the kingdom.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 onlyb)2 onlyc)Both 1 and 2d)Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
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