Examine the policies adopted by the British towards the Paharias during early 18th century in Bengal.
The policies adopted by the British towards the Paharias were:
(i)In the 1770s the British embarked on the brutal policy of extermination , hunting the Paharias down and killing them.
(ii)By the 1780s , Augustus Cleveland, the Collector of Bhagalpur, proposed a policy of pacification.
(iii)Paharia chiefs were given an annual allowance and made responsible for the proper conduct of their men. Many Paharia chiefs refused the allowances , those who accepted lost authority within the community.
(iv)The Paharias withrew deep in the mountains insulating themselves from hostile forces and carrying on a war with the outsiders.The brutal repression shaped their perception of British infiltration into the area.
