Which one of the following statements about the religious policies of the Mughal kings is NOT correct ?
The tax on pilgrimage was abolished in 1563, and the jizya tax on non-Muslim Subjects was abolished in 1564
Akbar issues instructions to his officers to follow the policy of religious toleration
Not all Mughal emperors gave grants for the building and mainte-nance of places of worship
Grants were issued for the repair of a number of temples in the reigns of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, after they had been destroyed during war
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2020
A) This statement is correct. Akbar abolished the pilgrimage tax in 1563 and the jizya tax (tax on non-Muslims) in 1564 as part of his policy of religious tolerance.
B) This statement is correct. Akbar’s policy of sulh-i kul explicitly instructed officers to follow a policy of religious toleration.
C) This statement is correct. While emperors like Akbar were known for granting funds for the building and maintenance of places of worship of different religions, later emperors, particularly Aurangzeb, adopted more restrictive policies, although even he made some grants to temples under certain circumstances. So, it is true that not all Mughal emperors consistently gave grants for all places of worship.
D) This statement is incorrect. While Shah Jahan was relatively tolerant and may have issued grants for temple repairs, Aurangzeb is generally known for policies involving temple destruction or restrictions, not for issuing grants for the repair of temples destroyed during war. His reign saw instances of temple destruction, particularly in areas annexed or during conflicts. Therefore, claiming that grants were issued for the repair of ‘a number of temples’ after destruction during war in Aurangzeb’s reign is not historically accurate as a general policy or significant practice.