Why did Edmund Burke seek the impeachment of Warren Hastings?

Edmund Burke sought the impeachment of Warren Hastings primarily due to his profound moral concern regarding the standards of British rule in India. Following his investigation into the East India Company, Burke concluded that the administration of India was deeply corrupt and that its officials must be held accountable to Parliament for their conduct toward those they governed.123

Burke specifically challenged Hastings' assertion that Western standards of legality and authority could not be applied to government in the East. Instead, he appealed to the concept of the Law of Nature, arguing that all races and conditions of men were subject to universal moral principles.3

Hastings became the focal point of Burke's indignation after the failure of the 1783 India Bill, which had aimed to reform Indian governance. Burke targeted Hastings for specific "harsh and high-handed" actions, including the dunning and deposition of Raja Chait Singh of Varanasi and the pressuring of the Begums of Avadh. Ultimately, the impeachment served as a vehicle for Burke to assert the principle that British servants were responsible for their actions in the colonies.321