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In the [[British Raj]], '''Batta''' or '''Bhatta''' or '''Bat-ta''' was a a) financial/banking and b) a military term, meaning a) an agio or disagio, b) a special allowance made to officers, soldiers, or other public servants in the field, c) any additional or extra charge elsewhere.<ref name="Chhabra2005">{{cite book |author=G. S. Chhabra |title=Advance Study in the History of Modern India (Volume-2: 1803-1920) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OzZzFm4pLWQC&pg=PA57 |year=2005 |publisher=Lotus Press |isbn=978-81-89093-07-5 |pages=57–}}</ref> The term is probably derived from [[Kannada language|Kannada]] ''bhatta'' (rice in the husk).<ref>{{EB1911|inline=1|wstitle=Batta|volume=3|page=529}}</ref>

Batta was originally introduced as a payment to military officers of the [[East India Company]], in addition to their ordinary salary, to provide them with money for field-equipment and other expenses when on the march.<ref>''The National Cyclopaedia of Useful Knowledge'' Vol II, (1847) London, Charles Knight, p.1003-4</ref> By November 1842, a distinction was made according to which part of the country they were based. A lieutenant-colonel in barracks in southern India, for instance would receive half batta, 304 rupees (£30) a month. All cavalry and infantry officers stationed in northern India received full batta.

Discontent over changes to the allowance was the cause of the [[Monghyr Mutiny]].

In Hindi, the term ''bhatta'' ([[Hindi]] भत्ता) is now used to refer to [[allowance (money)|allowance]] made to military personnel or other public servants.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Henry Yule |author2=A. C. Burnell |title=Hobson-Jobson: The Definitive Glossary of British India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-lFoAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA87 |year=2013 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-164583-9 |pages=87 }}</ref>

In Pakistan the term ''bhatta'' ([[Urdu]] بھتہ ) is now used specially in [[Karachi]] by [[MQM]] to take [[extortion]] money from common persons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1394315|title=MQM: Decline & fall|date=10 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/06-Sep-2011/mqm-pioneered-bhatta-culture-in-karachi-asma|title=MQM pioneered 'bhatta' culture in Karachi: Asma|date=6 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2016/08/why-the-pakistani-state-cant-seem-to-figure-out-the-mqm-in-karachi/|title=Why the Pakistani State Can't Seem to Figure Out the MQM in Karachi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/2012-karachi-factory-fire-an-act-of-terrorism-with-mqm-involvement-report-says-1.72441816|title = 2012 Karachi factory fire an act of terrorism, with MQM involvement, report says}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:British East India Company]]
[[Category:Indian words and phrases]]

Batta - Revision history

87.152.149.52 at 13:47, 28 September 2021