The rebels wanted to overthrow the British rule, which they referred to as firangi raj. Their rebellion widened into an attack on all those seen as allies of the British or local oppressors. In many places, they deliberately sought to humiliate the elites of the city. In villages, they burnt account books and ransacked moneylenders' houses. This reflected an attempt to overturn traditional hierarchies and rebel against all oppressors. The rebels' actions presented a glimpse of an alternative vision, perhaps of a more egalitarian society. The proclamations issued by rebel leaders sought to unify all social groups in the fight against British rule.

The vision of different social groups differed to a significant extent. The rebel proclamations repeatedly appealed to all sections of the population, irrespective of caste and creed. Many proclamations issued by Muslim princes took care to address the sentiments of Hindus. The rebellion was seen as a war in which both Hindus and Muslims had equally to lose or gain. The ishtahars harked back to the pre-British Hindu-Muslim past and glorified the coexistence of different communities under the Mughal Empire. Bahadur Shah's proclamation appealed to people to join the fight under the standards of both Muhammad and Mahavir.

However, the vision of ordinary rebels differed from this official unity. While proclamations emphasized unity, the actions of rebels in villages showed a desire to attack local oppressors like moneylenders. This reflected an alternative vision of a more egalitarian society that was not articulated in the proclamations. Despite British attempts to create divisions, religious divisions between Hindus and Muslims were hardly noticeable during the uprising.