Question

What is Dual Government? Name the state in which it was imposed.

Answer 1

Hint: Warren Hastings was the governor-general of Bengal from 1772 to 1785.He abolished the dual government system in 1772 which was introduced by Robert Clive in 1764.

Complete answer: (i) The Dual government system gave the British the right to collect revenue and taxes from an area however it was ruled by the Indian king.
(ii) After the Battle of Buxar which was fought between the British and the forces of Mir Qasim, Shuja Ud Daulah and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, the British came out victorious.
(iii) Robert Clive was the governor-general of Bengal during this time (1764) and he demanded the Diwani or revenue collection rights of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in return of an annual salary to the rulers. The rulers didn’t have an option but to agree.
(iv) Robert Clive, however, allowed the Nizam to continue as the ruler of Bengal, this was because Robert Clive’s main aim was to maximise the profits of the British, at that point, he wasn’t keen on ruling the state.
This system was referred to as the Dual government system, where the company held the Diwani rights and the Nizam held the administrative rights.

Note: Hastings realized that keeping the rights of Diwani and Nizamat (right to protection, peace and other and criminal justice) in separate hands was not desirable. Therefore, the right to Nizamat was taken away from the Nawabs of Bengal. A pension of Rupees sixteen lakhs was given annually to the Nawab of Bengal for his personal expenses. Thus the Dual Government was abolished and the Corporation became the de facto ruler.