A History of Agriculture in India v2.c85.s1: Abolition of Transit Duties
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c85.s1
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Abolition of Transit Duties
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All rulers, to start with, try to please their subjects by some type of tax remission. Bakhtawar Khan states, ‘Among the greatest liberalities of this king of the faithful is this, that he has ordered a remission of the transit duties upon all sorts of grain, cloth, and other goods, as well as on tobacco, the duties on which alone amounted to an immense sum, and to prevent the smuggling of which the Government officers committed many outrages, especialy in regard to the exposure of females. He exempted the Muhammadans from taxes, and all people from certain public demands, the income of which exceeded thirty *lacs* of rupees every year.’⁶
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⁶ Bakhtawar Khan, *Mir-at-i Alam*, in Elliot and Dowson, *The History of India...*, Vol. VII, p. 160
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JIZYA REIMPOSED, 1679
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When finances became lean due to these concessions, Aurangzeb had to explore other avenues of taxation. The discriminatory poll-tax *Jizya*, abolished by Akbar, was reimposed upon the Hindus in all the provinces in April 1679. This evoked a protest from the Hindus of Delhi. ‘Upon the publication of this order, the Hindus all round Delhi assembled in vast numbers under the *jharokha* of the Emperor on the river front of the palace, to represent their inability to pay, and to pray for the recall of the edict,’ states Khafi Khan. ‘But the Emperor would not listen to their complaints. One day, when he went to public prayer in the great mosque on the Sabbath, a vast multitude of Hindus thronged the road from the palace to the mosque, with the object of seeking relief. Money-changers and drapers, all kinds of shopkeepers from the Urdu Bazar, mechanics, and workmen of all kinds, left off work and business, and pressed into the way. Notwithstanding, orders were given to force a way through; it was impossible for the Emperor to reach the mosque. Every moment the crowd increased and the Emperor’s equipage was brought to a stand-still. At length an order was given to bring out the elephants and direct them against the mob. Many fell trodden to death under the feet of the elephants and horses. For some days the Hindus continued to assemble in great numbers and complain, but at length they submitted to pay the *jizya*.’⁷
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⁷ Khafi Khan. *Muntakhabu-l Lubab*, in Elliot and Dowson, *The History of India...*, Vol. VII, p. 296