QUESTION: Numerous causes were at work in causing the great upsurge of 1857. With reference to this statement, explain the laws that interfered with the religious customs of the people.
ANSWER: Laws that interfered with the Religious Customs of the people:
(i) The practice of Sati was made illegal and punishable by law.
(ii) Laws were made to forbid infanticide, allow re-marriage of widows and stop polygamy.
(iii) Government imposed a tax on the property belonging to temples and mosques.
(iv) Dalhousie passed a law that entitled a person converted to Christianity to inherit his ancestral property.
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