Which of the following statements is/are correct with reference to the term ‘bargis’?
A. The term is a reference to the several Maratha invasions of West Bengal between 1741 and 1751.
B. The word comes from the Persian “bargir”, literally meaning “burden taker”.
C. Both A & B
D. None of these
Explanation:
The ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has found a specific word to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s outsider status. The word ‘bargi’ as the TMC likes to call the BJP, is of special significance in Bengal’s history. The term is a reference to the several Maratha invasions of West Bengal between 1741 and 1751, which resulted in looting, plundering and massacres of what was then Mughal territory. Simply speaking, the word bargi referred to cavalrymen in Maratha and Mughal armies. The word comes from the Persian “bargir”, literally meaning “burden taker”.