ROLE OF PRESS AND JOURNALISM IN THE STRUGGLE FOR INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE

In the second innings of the struggle for independence of the nation, spanning nearly a century after the historical uprising of 1857, the press played a crucial role. It became the tool to develop and propagate political consciousness, nationalist ideology, mass mobilization and countrywide coordination. It was the chief instrument of spreading the unjust policies and acts by the British government. In short, Press played the role of opposition.

In those days, press and journalism was more like a national service than business enterprise or profession. Almost all leading personalities were associated with one or other newspaper of the time and have contributed to the national awakening against the British hegemony. Many nationalist newspapers came into being during this era. Congress, the largest political platform of the time propagated its proceedings and plans through the newspapers. Press became the voice of the junta.

The British administration was not unaware of the intellectual and political awakening, developments of the mass and its dividends. Measures were put in place to curb the rising discontent. Moreover laws were passed to utilize the press to their own benefit. The new young India was dynamic and knew the importance of civil rights most importantly the right of the press freedom. According to section 124A of the IPC, whoever attempts to frame conspiracy and sedition against the government established by British India was punishable under law. Earlier Bal Gangadhar Tilak and later Mahatma Gandhi were arrested under this booked under this law. Further, the Vernacular press act of 1878, aimed to zip only the regional language newspapers, prohibited them from publishing seditious materials and warned them of confiscation of press and imprisonment.

In such circumstances, the nationalist leaders and press devised innovative ways to combat the restrictions.  The arrest of leaders resulted in country wide mass agitation. Responding to the Vernacular press act, Amrita Bazar Patrika, a bengali daily converted itself overnight into a english language newspaper. Tilak and Motilal Ghosh had mastered a new way of writing where government policies were subjected to sharp criticism but in a way written by a friendly well wisher.

Dadabhai Naroji through 'Voice of India openly criticized the economic policies and spread his drain theory. Junta could relate money being siphoned from one land to another was the easiest way of explaining the reason of dwindling economic state.

Satyendranath Banerjee criticized a calcutta high court judge for hurting Hindu sentiments by ordering to produce a deity's idol, saligram, in the court to determine its age. Banerjee was subsequently arrested. But, this led to a  large scale public demonstration and agitation against the government.

BG Tilak was an epitome of militant nationalism through his press. In his publication of Kesari and Mahratta, he called for celebrating the traditional Ganpati festival in community, thereby developing a new way of public gathering which remains popular till date.  His stand for the cause of cotton farmers when excise was imposed on cotton and appeal to the mass for boycotting foreign goods made him Lokmanya. He stood tall and advocated his views expressed through newspapers.

There are such countless examples of both individuals and institutions fighting for the cause of people. The causes of these protests might have been different but all of them hit the national sentiment adding one brick at a time to the national building. Without press or its freedom the task of spreading the nationalist ideology would have been impossible.