Consider the following statements.
Statement I: The Poligars' Revolt was one of the earliest uprisings against British rule in southern India, driven by the imposition of heavy land revenue demands on the Poligars.
Statement II: The Poligars were traditionally responsible for collecting land revenue in the regions they controlled and the British sought to undermine this authority by enforcing direct revenue collection.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a)  Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II is the correct explanation for Statement I
Explanation: •  The Poligars' Revolt (1795–1805) was a series of significant armed uprisings against the  East India Company by the Poligars (Palayakkarars) of the former Vijayanagara Empire in Southern India. •  Statement I is correct: The revolt was primarily triggered by the  oppressive land revenue system and the heavy financial demands imposed by the British after they acquired the right to collect taxes from the Nawab of Arcot. •  Statement II is correct: The Poligars were local  feudal chieftains who held military and administrative powers, including the right to collect revenue and maintain law and order in their  Palayams. •  Correct Explanation: The British attempt to bypass the Poligars and enforce  direct revenue collection was a direct attack on their traditional status, authority, and source of income. This systemic undermining of their power was the fundamental cause of the violent resistance. • Prominent leaders like  Kattabomman Nayak of Panchalamkurichi and the  Maruthu Pandiyan brothers of Sivaganga led these revolts to protect their ancestral sovereign rights. 
Information Booster: • According to  NCERT History, the Poligar system originated during the  Vijayanagara period and was further consolidated under the  Nayakas of Madurai. • The rebellion was so intense that it is often referred to as the  South Indian Rebellion or the  First War of Independence in the Deccan region. • After the suppression of the revolt in 1805, the British abolished the Poligar system and introduced the  Zamindari Settlement in the Carnatic region. 
Additional Knowledge: Kattabomman Nayak • He refused to pay revenue arrears to the British, famously stating that the land belonged to his people. He was eventually captured and  hanged in 1799 at Kayathar. 
The Treaty of 1792 • This treaty between the  Nawab of Arcot and the British gave the Company the right to collect  Kist (tribute) from the Poligars, which led to direct friction and the subsequent uprisings.
Outcome of the Revolt • The defeat of the Poligars led to the  disarmament of the local population and the demolition of their forts, marking the complete territorial consolidation of the British in the Madras Presidency.