Given below are assertion and reason, read the statements and choose the correct option.
Assertion(A): Sir Charles Napier justified the annexation of Sindh on moral and legal grounds.
Reason(R): He described it as a "useful humane piece of rascality."
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Answer: A is false, but R is true.
Explanation
The annexation of Sindh (1843) is one of the most controversial episodes in British Indian history.
Assertion (A) is False: Sir Charles Napier did not justify the annexation on moral or legal grounds. In fact, he was quite open about the fact that the British had no real right to seize Sindh. He admitted that the move was an act of aggression and was not legally or morally defensible.
Reason (R) is True: Napier famously wrote in his diary: "We have no right to seize Sind, yet we shall do so, and a very advantageous, useful, humane piece of rascality it will be." By using the word "rascality," he acknowledged the dishonest and "rascal-like" nature of the act, but he believed it was "useful" for the British Empire and "humane" because he felt British rule would be better for the people than the rule of the Amirs of Sindh.
Key Facts for Exams
Governor-General: The annexation took place during the tenure of Lord Ellenborough.
The Famous Pun: It is often jokingly said that Napier sent a one-word telegram back to London: "Peccavi", which is Latin for "I have sinned" (a pun on "I have Sindh"). However, this was actually a joke published in Punch magazine and not an official dispatch.
Battle of Miani: The decisive battle that led to the capture of Sindh.
Exam-Related Practice Questions
Q: Under which Governor-General was Sindh annexed to the British Empire?
Answer: Lord Ellenborough.
Q: Who was the British commander who led the campaign to conquer Sindh?
Answer: Sir Charles Napier.