Question

Which of the following statements are correct?
(A) Moneylenders were called ‘dikus’.
(B) Zamindars hired the Santhals to reclaim land.
(C) Santhals were merchants.
(D) Land of the Santhals was demarcated as ‘Damin-i-koh’.
(E) Santhals charged heavy land revenue from dikus moneylenders.

• A. (A), (B) and (C) only
• B. (C) and (E) only
• C. (A), (B) and (D) only
• D. (C) and (D) only

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To evaluate the accuracy of each statement concerning the Santhals, an understanding of their historical context is necessary:

• Statement (A): Moneylenders were referred to as ‘dikus’.
  Accurate. In the historical context of tribal communities, ‘dikus’ designated outsiders, including moneylenders and traders, who exploited the indigenous population.
• Statement (B): Zamindars engaged the Santhals for land reclamation.
  Accurate. Zamindars invited the Santhals to clear and cultivate previously uncultivated land, particularly within the region known as 'Damin-i-koh'.
• Statement (C): Santhals were engaged in trade.
  Inaccurate. The Santhals were predominantly an agricultural community and not recognized as merchants.
• Statement (D): The Santhal territory was designated as ‘Damin-i-koh’.
  Accurate. 'Damin-i-koh' was the specific area allocated to the Santhals for settlement and cultivation, intended to minimize external interference.
• Statement (E): Santhals levied high land revenue on diku moneylenders.
  Inaccurate. The Santhals did not collect land revenue from others; conversely, they were frequently victims of exploitative practices by outsiders.

Based on this assessment, the correct option identifying the accurate statements is (A), (B), and (D) exclusively.