The Blue Rebellion started in March 1859, when thousands of ryots in Bengal refused to grow indigo. The ryots also refused to pay rents to the planters and attacked indigo factories. Women also joined the rebellion. Gomasthas who were the agents of planters, were beaten up in this rebellion.
The local zamindars, and village headmen who had been forced to sign indigo contracts, also joined the rebellion. When the rebellion spread, the government sent military for the protection of the planters and set-up the Indigo Commission to enquire into the system of indigo production.
The commission declared the following
→ It held the planters guilty and criticised them for using coercive methods to control the ryots.
→ It declared that indigo production was not profitable for ryots.
→ It asked the ryots could fulfil their existing contracts, but they could refuse to produce indigo in future.