Which one of the following statements regarding the revolt of 1857 is not correct ?

The statement that the educated elite supported the revolt whole-heartedly is incorrect. Historical evidence indicates that the middle-class intelligentsia and the educated Indian elite largely refused to participate in the movement, which significantly weakened its potency [t3]. Many educated Indians viewed the revolt as backward-looking and preferred British rule for its perceived modernizing influence. Conversely, the diverse elements that did participate were indeed united by a shared hatred of British rule and the foreign regime [c5, t1, t2]. Hindu-Muslim unity was a hallmark of the uprising, with both groups acknowledging Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader—a fact noted by British officials and historians alike [c3]. While the revolt was primarily concentrated in Northern and Central India [c5, t3], it did not effectively spread to South India, which remained largely peaceful during this period [t3].

Sources

1. [1] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 8: The Revolt of 1857 > The Revolt of 1857 > p. 133
2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 7: The Revolt of 1857 > Hindu-Muslim Unity Factor > p. 179