Concept:
• The Deccan Riots of 1875 were a significant peasant uprising in the Bombay Presidency against moneylenders and the rigid land revenue system.
• Following the suppression of the riots, the colonial government established a commission to investigate the causes.
• The resulting report is a vital historical document for understanding rural economic distress in the 19th century.
Step 1: Analyze the political context of the period
During the 1870s, India was under the direct administration of the British Crown (following the Government of India Act 1858).
Major administrative inquiries conducted by the colonial government in India were ultimately reported to the imperial authorities in London.
Step 2: Identify the specific legislative body
The Deccan Riots Commission was tasked by the Government of Bombay, but because of the gravity of the agrarian unrest, the findings were published and presented to the supreme legislative authority of the British Empire.
Step 3: Verify the date and recipient
Historical records confirm that the "Deccan Riots Commission Report" was formally presented to the British Parliament in 1878.
This presentation allowed the imperial government to consider legislative changes, eventually leading to the Deccan Agriculturists’ Relief Act of 1879.