There was a change in the attitude of the British towards the Indians. The revolt of 1857 ‘left in its trail trases of mutual fear and distrust in the minds of the ruler and the ruled’. Formerly the British took the initiative in introducing social and the educational reforms.
The sati was abolished and English education introduced in the face of the Indians’ opposition. But after the revolt of 1857 the British Government became cautious and reactionary in its attitude towards the Indians.
The British believed that the Muslims were mainly responsible for the revolt, because they wanted to restore the right of the Mughul Empire “whose glories were still fresh in their memories”. They further believed that the opposition of Muslims to their rule was ‘both national and spontaneous’.