It was supported by intellectuals such as R.C Dutt, Surendranath Banerjee, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, etc.
Some lords forcefully collected rents and land taxes, often enhanced for the poor peasants and also prevented the tenants from acquiring Occupancy Right under Act X of 1859.
This Act conferred occupancy rights on tenants who held land for 12 years as well as paid their rents.
In a proclamation of 4 July 1873 Sir George campbell, the then Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, guaranteed British government support of peasants against excessive zamindar demands, and advised the zamindars to assert their claims by legal means only.
In the face of police action and additional famine that broke out in 1873–74, the rebellion subsided.