Correct option is A
The Bengal Sati Regulation XVII 1829 was passed by the then governor general of India, Lord William Bentinck making the practice of Sati illegal in all of British India.
What was the Sati system?
The Sati system was a regressive social custom in which a Hindu widow was expected (sometimes forced) to immolate herself on her husband's funeral pyre. It was especially prevalent among certain upper-caste communities in Bengal, Rajasthan, and parts of North India.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy's Role
He was a prominent social reformer and founder of the Brahmo Samaj.
He campaigned relentlessly against the Sati system, calling it inhuman, un-Hindu, and morally wrong.
He used scriptural evidence from Hindu texts to argue that Sati had no religious sanction.
Wrote articles, petitions, and debated with orthodox priests.
Worked closely with British officials, especially Lord Bentinck, to push for legislative action.
Provisions of the Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829
Declared Sati illegal and punishable by law.
Considered it a form of culpable homicide (i.e., murder).
Those who abetted or forced a woman to commit Sati could be arrested and prosecuted.
Empowered the police and local magistrates to intervene and prevent any Sati incidents.
Impact of the Regulation
Signaled the beginning of legal social reform in colonial India.
Created a precedent for banning other harmful practices (e.g., child marriage, female infanticide).
Gave a major boost to reform movements like the Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj.
Helped establish the idea that customs violating basic human rights could be challenged legally.
Interesting Facts
Raja Ram Mohan Roy personally witnessed the burning of his brother’s widow, which deeply affected him.
The British initially hesitated to interfere, fearing backlash from orthodox Hindus, but Roy’s arguments were convincing.
The abolition of Sati was one of the first major examples of social reform through legislation in British India.
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