Question

The press played an important role in the growth of Indian Nationalism. Thus the company saw the need for curbs on the press. State the various regulations imposed by the British Govt to curtail the freedom of the press

Answer 1

Approach

• In the introduction part, try to give reason why EIC wanted wanted to curb the freedom of press. Basically explain the role of press in Indian national movement.
• Address the main question. Highlight the steps taken by British Government to curb the freedom of press. Try to mention them in chronological order.
• In the end mention whether they were successful in their attempt or not. You can also mention the reaction of these policies.

The press during the national movement played dual role as on one hand it was criticising official policies, on the one hand, urged the people to unite. It also helped spread modern ideas of self-government, democracy, civil rights and industrialisation. The newspapers, journals, pamphlets and nationalist literature helped in the exchange of political ideas among nationalist leaders from different regions. The Company’s officers were worried that these newspapers might reach London and expose their misdeeds. Thus they saw the need for curbs on the press.

Various Regulations imposed by the British Govt to curtail the freedom of the press are :
Censorship of Press Act, 1799
Lord Wellesley enacted this, anticipating French invasion of India. It imposed almost wartime press restrictions including pre- censorship. These restrictions were relaxed under Lord Hastings, who had progressive views, and in 1818, pre- censorship was dispensed with.

Licensing Regulations, 1823
The acting governor-general, John Adams, who had reactionary views, enacted these. According to these regulations, starting or using a press without licence was a penal offence. Later on, the Act was extended to cover journals, pamphlets and books. These restrictions were directed chiefly against Indian language newspapers or those edited by Indians. Rammohan Roy’s Mirat-ul-Akbar had to stop publication.

Press Act of 1835 or Metcalfe Act
Metcalfe(governor-general—1835-36) repealed the obnoxious 1823 ordinance and earned the epithet, “liberator of the Indian press”. The new Press Act (1835) required a printer/publisher to give a precise account of premises of a publication and cease functioning, if required by a similar declaration. The result of a liberal press policy was a rapid growth of newspapers.

Licensing Act, 1857
Due to the emergency caused by the 1857 revolt, this Act imposed licensing restrictions in addition to the already existing registration procedure laid down by Metcalfe Act and the government reserved the right to stop publication and circulation of any book, newspaper or printed matter.

Registration Act, 1867
This replaced Metcalfe’s Act of 1835 and was of a regulatory, not restrictive, nature. As per the Act, (i) every book/ newspaper was required to print the name of the printer and the publisher and the place of the publication; and (ii) a copy was to be submitted to the local government within one month of the publication of a book.

Vernacular Press Act, 1878
The Vernacular Press Act (VPA) was designed to ‘better control’ the vernacular press and effectively punish and repress seditious writing. The Act came to be nicknamed “the gagging Act”. The worst features of this Act were—(i) discrimination between English and vernacular press, (ii) no right of appeal

Newspaper (Incitement to Offences) Act, 1908
It was Aimed against Extremist nationalist activity, the Act empowered the magistrates to confiscate press property which published objectionable material likely to cause incitement to murder/ acts of violence.

Indian Press Act, 1910
This Act revived the worst features of the VPA—local government was empowered to demand a security at registration from the printer/publisher and fortfeit/deregister if it was an offending newspaper, and the printer of a newspaper was required to submit two copies of each issue to local government free of charge.

• During and After the First World War: Defence of India Rules were imposed for repression of political agitation and free public criticism during the First World War.
• Indian Press (Emergency Powers) Act, 1931: This Act gave sweeping powers to provincial governments to suppress propaganda for Civil Disobedience Movement.
• During the Second World War: Under the Defence of India Rules, pre- censorship was imposed and amendments made in Press Emergency Act and Official Secrets Act. At one time, publication of all news related to Congress activity was declared illegal.

The press proved to be a crucial weapon in the awakening of the masses as the britishers failed to completely curb the freedom of press. Everytime British Government came up with a regulation the nationalist found a way out.