2010 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2010 · General Studies

Question 139: History and Culture

What was the immediate reason for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India and fight the Third Battle of Panipat ?

aHe wanted to avenge the expulsion by Marathas of his viceroy Timur Shah from Lahore
bThe frustrated governor of Jullundhar Adina Beg Khan invited him to invade Punjab
cHe wanted to punish Mughal administration for non-payment of the revenues of the Chahar Mahal (Gujarat, Aurangabad, Sialkot and Pasrur)
dHe wanted to annex all the fertile plains of Punjab up to the borders of Delhi to his kingdom

AnswerThe answer is (a).

In 1758 the Marathas under Raghunath Rao and Malhar Rao Holkar drove Ahmad Shah Abdali's son Timur Shah, who governed Punjab for his father, out of Lahore and pressed on to Attock. Abdali invaded again in 1759 to recover Punjab and avenge the expulsion of Timur Shah, which led to the Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761), where he defeated the Marathas. Remember: the immediate trigger was the Maratha expulsion of Timur Shah from Lahore.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Right: he came to avenge the expulsion of his viceroy Timur Shah from Lahore.
  • (b) Adina Beg Khan sided with the Marathas, not Abdali.
  • (c) The Chahar Mahal revenue was a background grievance, not the immediate trigger.
  • (d) Annexing Punjab to Delhi was not the immediate reason.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2010, General Studies, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.