Question

When did Lord William Bentinck make laws to abolish the practice of Sati?

• A. 1820
• B. 1829
• C. 1833
• D. 1839

Hint:

Remember: Sati Abolition = 1829 (Lord William Bentinck, with support of Raja Ram Mohan Roy).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Context of Sati.
The practice of Sati, in which widows were forced or encouraged to immolate themselves on their husband’s funeral pyre, was prevalent in some parts of India. Reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy strongly opposed it.
Step 2: Abolition of Sati.
Lord William Bentinck, the Governor General of India, passed Regulation XVII in 1829, which declared Sati illegal and punishable by law. This was a landmark social reform in colonial India.
Step 3: Elimination of options.
- (A) 1820: Too early.
- (B) 1829: Correct year of abolition by law.
- (C) 1833: Wrong, associated with Charter Act, not Sati.
- (D) 1839: Too late.
Conclusion: The practice of Sati was legally abolished in 1829 under Lord William Bentinck.