CLA -3 B.

Sriram

AP20110010268

1)press and freedom movement Role of the Indian press in the freedom movement

2)Freedom movement as a backdrop for growth of 1)Indian the press

The Indian Mutiny of 1857 A mutiny of the sepoys of the British East India company army, also
known as the Indian rebellion of 1857, began on 10th May 1857 at Meerut, which latter spread to
Delhi, Agra, Kanpur and Lucknow. Though different political, economic, military, religious, and social
causes, are attributed to revolt, the main reason was the ethnic gulf between the European Officers
and their Indian troops. The spark that led to the mutiny in several sepoy companies was the issue
of new gunpowder cartridges for the Enfield rifles in Feb 1857. A rumour was spread that the
cartridges were made from cow and pig fat. Loading the Enfield required tearing open the greased
cartridges with one’s teeth. Hindus considered cow auspicious and Muslims considered Pig ugly. As
such, were not ease at opening the cartridges with teeth. Discontent was growing against the British
for its alleged interference in the religious affairs of both the Hindu’s and Muslims.

The Mutiny and the Indian Press During the uprising, the press was issuing statements of highly
provocative nature. Both the correspondence columns and editorial notes were full of inflammatory
incitement adding fuel to the fire. Being revengeful to the Indian nationalist press, the Anglo-Indian
press exaggerated the tone of the former. To regulate the establishment of printing press, the
government(Lord Canning) promulgated the Gagging Act on June 13, 1857. The main aim of the
legislation was to restrain, in certain cases the circulation of printed books and newspapers, by
making licensing mandatory for maintaining a printing press. The government justified the act, by
alleging that facts were grossly misrepresented and readers were imperfectly acquainted with
proceedings of the government.

Gagging Act and suppression of the press

Gagging Act and suppression of the press The friend of India and the Bombay times were among the
first newspapers to be penalized under the new act. The Bombay Gazette disapproved the act.
Language newspapers such as the Bombay Samachar, the Jam -eJamshed and the Rast Goftar
strongly defended the Indians in the first war of independence. The Hindu Patriot and the Som
Prakash played prominent role in propagating the political ideals of the day. The impact of the
Gagging Act on the Indian press can be understood from the fact that of the 30 newspapers being
published in the North-West province of Agra during the Mutiny, only 03 could survive the
onslaught.
Constitutional reforms and response of Indian the press The press paid more attention to political
views than to dissemination of news. The language of newspapers became insistent and effective.
As a course correction, the Government of India Act 1858 was passed in Parliament of United
Kingdom on August 02, 1858. It provided for: – liquidation of the British East India Company, and
transference of its functions to the British Crown. – The Queen’s principal secretary received the
powers of the Company’s court of directors. – The Crown was empowered to appoint governor-
general and governors of the presidencies. – An Indian Civil Services was to be created. Following the
Government of India Act, Queen’s proclamation was announced on Nov 01, 1858. The Document
called the “Magna Carta (the great charter liberties) of the People of India” declared the principles of
justice and religious tolerance as the guiding policy of the Queen’s rule. Indian public opinion
reacted to the constitutional reforms brought about by Queen Victoria’s administration. The
newspapers provided a forum to give vent to people’s feelings

The birth of great newspapers:

A new phase of Indian press appeared with the rise of new wave of nationalism: The Times of India
(1861)(new name of the Bombay Times). The pioneer(1865) The Anand Bazar Patrika(1868) The
Madras Mail- India’s first evening newspaper -1868 The Civil and Military Gazette-1872 The
Statesman- 1875 The Hindu -1878 The Som Prakash (15 November 1858) and Hindu Patriot(1853)
were already in existence here were only two Anglo-Indian papers-The Indian daily News and the
Englishman

The first world war and the Indian pressl:

The war was fought between the allies(Britain, France, Russia,Italy,and the US)on one side and the
central powers(Germany, Austria-hungary, Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria) on the other. The
immediate cause was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by Bosnian
revolutionary, Gavrilo Princip. DuringWorld War I, British India contributed to the British war effort
by providing men and resources. Millions of Indian soldiers and labourers served in Europe, Africa,
and the Middle East, while both the Indian administration and the princes sent large supplies of
food, money, and ammunition. However, Bengal and Punjab remained sources of anticolonial
activities. Revolutionary attacks in Bengal, associated increasingly with disturbances in Punjab, were
significant enough to nearly paralyse the regional administration. The Indian press unanimously
pleaded that the British government should accord to India, the rights and liberties for which the
allies were fighting in Europe. The Home Rule League was formed under the inspiration of Annie
Besant and B.G.Tilak. To advocate their cause Dr. Besant bought the Madras standard and
rechristened it as the new India. To cater to the practical side of journalism, the first journalism
course was started under the National University at Adyar, Madras under the auspices of the
Theosophical Society in in 1920.