Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R. Assertion A: The 'Doctrine of Lapse' formulated by Governor-General Dalhousie disregarded the right of an adopted heir to the throne and the state automatically lapsed into British dominion if the ruler died without any biological natural heir. Reason R: The Doctrine of Lapse was one part of Dalhousie's programme of bringing a unified India under strict control by doing away with alternative sovereignities held by Indian rulers and princes. In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Doctrine of Lapse

• This policy was introduced by Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India, during the mid-19th century.
• It stated that if a ruler of any Indian state under British suzerainty died without a natural heir, the state would be annexed by the British East India Company instead of allowing an adopted heir to ascend to the throne.
• Disregard for Adopted Heirs: Under traditional Indian succession practices, adopted heirs were commonly accepted as legitimate successors.
• However, the Doctrine of Lapse disregarded the rights of adopted heirs, which led to discontent.
• The Doctrine of Lapse was a significant aspect of Lord Dalhousie's policy which aimed at extending British hegemony over the Indian subcontinent.
• By disregarding adopted heirs and annexing Indian states, Dalhousie intended to weaken indigenous power structures and establish British dominance more firmly.
• Therefore, both Assertion A and Reason R are accurate. The Doctrine of Lapse did indeed disregard the rights of adopted heirs and was part of Dalhousie's broader strategy to centralize British control over India by annexing princely states. So, option A is correct.