Which tendency of colonial rule is shown by British troops suppressing the rebellion?

Correct answer: Controlling local grievances by force

The suppression of the Bastar rebellion shows that the colonial government treated organised local opposition as a threat to its authority. Instead of first resolving the grievances through equal discussion, British troops were used to control the movement. This reflects a coercive tendency: the administration relied on military power, punishment, and enforcement when people resisted forest policies. Such action protected colonial control rather than giving communities full authority over their customary rights.

Option A is correct because it describes the use of force to control local grievances. Options B, C, and D suggest policies of sharing power, restoring rights, or granting relief, but these were not the immediate meaning of military suppression. The event should therefore be understood as an example of colonial repression. It also shows why restrictions on forests could produce resistance when local communities felt their livelihoods and customary access were threatened.