Print and censorship - Concepts - Chapter 5 Class 10 History - Print Culture and the Modern World - History

• By 1820s, the Calcutta Supreme Court passed regulations to control press freedom and East India Company began encouraging publishing of newspapers that would celebrate British rule.
• In 1835, Governor- General Bentinck agreed to revise press laws. After the petitions of Editors of English and vernacular ( local) languages.
• Thomas Macaulay , a colonial officer, formulated new rules of censorship.
• After the Revolt of 1857, colonial officers demanded censorship of native press.
• In 1878, Vernacular Press Act was passed. It provided the government with rights to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular/local press.
• After this, government kept regular track of vernacular newspapers, and even seized the printing machinery if required.
• Nationalist newspapers grew and reported colonial misrule and encouraged nationalist activities.
• When Punjab revolutionaries were deported in 1907, Balgangadhar Tilak wrote about it in his KESARI (his newspaper) with great sympathy.
• This led to his imprisonment in 1908, provoking widespread protests in India.

KESARI BY BAL GANGADHAR TILAK.