British East India Company

Choose the Correct Answer

Correct Answer : Option a

Explanation
Statement-I is correct: The English East India Company frequently justified its annexation of Indian territories by claiming the need to protect its economic and political interests. Policies like the Doctrine of Lapse, introduced by Lord Dalhousie, and the use of subsidiary alliances by Lord Wellesley were strategies used to bring Indian kingdoms under Company control. They often cited reasons such as "misgovernance" or threats to British security to legitimize annexations.

Statement-II is correct: The Company increasingly asserted its paramountcy over Indian states, positioning itself as the supreme authority in India. This idea of paramountcy was used to justify interference in the affairs of Indian kingdoms and to consolidate British dominance. The claim of being the ultimate power allowed the Company to overrule local rulers and expand its territories.

The claim of paramountcy (Statement-II) provided the ideological foundation for the Company's actions described in Statement-I. By asserting that its authority was supreme, the Company justified its actions to annex or threaten Indian states as necessary to maintain order, protect British interests, and ensure "good governance."