ICSE Class 8 Answered

Rani Jindal and corrupt nobles provoked the army to cross River Satluj and attack the British. Rani and her nobles were convinced that war with the British would exhaust and weaken the Sikh army. This would free her from the control of the army and make her internal position secure. She failed to understand that the real threat was the British. When the Sikh army crossed the Satluj, Governor-General Lord Hardinge declared war on them.