CAPF AC 2021 Q108: Modern History – Social & Religious Reform Movements
- (a) Krishna Mohan Banerjee
- (b) Keshab Chandra Sen
- (c) Radhakanta Deb
- (d) Akshay Kumar Datta
Answer: (c) Radhakanta Deb
Explanation
Dharma Sabha
How to think: the Dharma Sabha was an orthodox body.
It was formed in 1830 in Calcutta to oppose the reforms of Raja Rammohan Roy, above all the ban on sati of 1829.
Its founder was Raja Radhakanta Deb.
| Person | Known for |
|---|---|
| Radhakanta Deb | Founded the Dharma Sabha (1830); defended orthodox Hindu customs, yet supported English and women's education |
| Krishna Mohan Banerjee | Young Bengal (Derozian); later a Christian priest |
| Keshab Chandra Sen | Brahmo Samaj of India (1866) |
| Akshay Kumar Datta | Tattvabodhini Sabha and its journal; rationalist |
What the Sabha did: it sent a petition to the Privy Council against the abolition of sati.
The petition was rejected in 1832.
Answer: (c) Radhakanta Deb.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Krishna Mohan Banerjee was a radical Derozian of Young Bengal.
- (b) Incorrect. Keshab Chandra Sen led the Brahmo Samaj of India.
- (c) CORRECT. Radhakanta Deb founded the Dharma Sabha in 1830.
- (d) Incorrect. Akshay Kumar Datta worked with the Tattvabodhini Sabha.
Key point
Dharma Sabha: 1830, Calcutta, Radhakanta Deb, orthodox answer to the Brahmo Sabha (1828) and to the Sati Regulation of 1829. Tattvabodhini Sabha: Debendranath Tagore, 1839.
Remember
Dharma Sabha, 1830: Radhakanta Deb, against the ban on sati.
Common mistakes
- Thinking the Dharma Sabha was a reform society like the Brahmo Samaj.
- Mixing up the Dharma Sabha (1830) with the Tattvabodhini Sabha (1839).
- Crediting Keshab Chandra Sen, who belonged to the reformist camp.
Exam tip
Educated guess: three of the four names are reformers (Young Bengal, Brahmo Samaj, Tattvabodhini). The orthodox Dharma Sabha must belong to the one conservative, Radhakanta Deb.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra, History of Modern India — Social and Cultural Awakening in the First Half of the 19th Century
- NCERT Class VIII History — Our Pasts III, Chapter 7: Women, Caste and Reform