Question

In Bengal, the campaign to abolish Sati was led by :

• A. M.G. Ranade
• B. Raja Rammohan Roy
• C. Jyotirao Phule
• D. Periyar

Hint:

When dealing with historical questions about social reforms in India, recall the prominent reformers and their respective regions and key movements. Raja Rammohan Roy is synonymous with the anti-Sati campaign in Bengal.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Context:
The question asks about the leader of the campaign to abolish the Sati practice in Bengal. Sati was a historical practice where a widow immolated herself on her deceased husband's funeral pyre.

Step 2: Historical Knowledge Recall:
Raja Rammohan Roy was a prominent social reformer in Bengal during the 19th century. He is widely recognized for his relentless efforts and advocacy against the practice of Sati. He played a crucial role in persuading the British government to enact legislation banning the practice. Lord William Bentinck, the Governor-General of India, passed the Sati Prohibition Regulation in 1829, largely due to Roy's influence and campaigning.

Step 3: Evaluating Other Options:
(A) M.G. Ranade (Mahadev Govind Ranade) was a key figure in the Indian National Congress and a social reformer, active mainly in Maharashtra, known for his work on social reform and economic issues but not primarily associated with the abolition of Sati in Bengal.
(C) Jyotirao Phule was a social reformer from Maharashtra, known for his work on caste discrimination and women's education, but his activism was centered in Western India.
(D) Periyar E. V. Ramasamy was a social activist and politician from Tamil Nadu, known for his Dravidian movement and anti-caste activism, active much later than the Sati abolition movement in Bengal.

Step 4: Final Answer:
Raja Rammohan Roy was the central figure in the campaign to abolish Sati in Bengal.