Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c10.s2.38

c10.s2.38

However, whenever the people were oppressed by the provincial viceroys, the imperial government interfered on behalf of the people. Before the time of Dēva Rāya II, for instance, the ministers had been taking presents by force from all ryots belonging to both the Right hand and Left hand classes at the commencement of each reign. In consequence of this all the ryots were harassed and hence they migrated to other places. Worship and festivals ceased in temples; the country was stricken with disease; the few people that remained either died or suffered. The king therefore interfered and prohibited such extortion.⁹³ Thus the imperial government interfered with the local governments when there was mal-administration or oppression on the part of the local governors. Here it is said that the ministers oppressed the people. We have to take that the term ministers means officers for the ministers of the Imperial Council were generally provincial governors as well.