The governor generalship of Lord Lytton issued the Vernacular Press Act in 1878 to regulate Indian language newspapers. The main goal of this measure was to suppress the production of anti-British journals and encourage those who supported them. Continue reading to know more about the act.
Formation Of The Vernacular Press Act
So, when was the vernacular act passed? The Vernacular Act was passed in 1878 by the government of Lord Lytton.
Printing and communication are not new concepts; they may be traced back to ancient regimes. There was no such thing as contemporary printing and there was very little in transportation, education and communication.
The Mughals were responsible for developing a new type of written newspaper. In 1878, the Viceroy of India imposed a controversial and oppressive ordinance and Lord Lytton passed legislation to limit the freedom of Indian languages.
The ruler’s horrible actions were discussed in the vernacular press, which sparked great outrage. He also mistreated it during the 1876-77 famines. As a result, the government enacted the Vernacular Press Act, 1878.
Significant writings that sparked widespread outrage and dissatisfaction with the government were prohibited. It meant to restrict the vernacular press from criticizing British policies.
Provisions Of The Act
The District Magistrate has the right to order any Vernacular publication’s printer and publisher to follow the government’s rules.
1. The act restricts the printing of anything that would cause public outrage, hatred, anger or dissatisfaction with the government because of caste, religion or race.
2. The publisher was required to put down a security deposit, which might be forfeited if the law broke.
3. The authorities may seize the press tools if the offence is done again.
4. Before publishing, the police must have the proof sheets for newspaper and magazine articles rather than judge.
5. In such cases, the Magistrate’s Judgment is considered final and no legal action can be brought against it.
Indians And The Act
The Amrit Bazar Patrika entered the scene and took on converting the newspaper from Bengali to English which was merely to get around the rule.
The Som Prakash publication of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was halted after that. Bt, as things turned out, the publication resumed in 1880 after securing written guarantees of fidelity to the government.
Many newspapers were penalised by the government and the editor of one of them was even imprisoned. The editor faced fines and imprisonment due to the act’s provisions. Many well-known people were accused of directing a seditious movement, including Dacca Prakash, Bharat Mihir, Sadharani, Bharat Sanskar, Halisahar Patrika and Sulabh Samachar, among others.
Many significant figures, personalities and citizens in Bengal and the Indian continent denounced the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 and demanded that it get repealed as soon as possible.
Vernacular Press After The Revolt Of 1857
Following the insurrection of 1857, prominent Indian leaders began the Indian National Movement to educate the public through newspaper articles.
Throughout history, the vernacular press had various constraints on its freedom of expression. The British Indian government enacted several laws to prohibit the vernacular press from propagating anti-British propaganda. Different press laws went into effect, including:
Censor Act of 1799
Lord Wellesley was the one who signed this bill. The act stipulated that the names of the editors, proprietors, and editors must be printed in newspapers. Before being published in the newspaper, the matter had to be submitted to the Secretary of Censorship. Warren Hastings revoked the act.
Licensing Regulation Act of 1823
The publishers and printers required a license. The Governor had sole authority to grant or withdraw the license, and Charles Metcalf was the one who revoked the act.
Press Act of 1835
The Metcalfe Act is another name for this act. Metcalfe advocated for the freedom of the press. After overturning the Rude Act of 1823, he was dubbed “liberator of the Indian press”.
The Licensing Act of 1857
The act restricted the printing of newspapers, magazines and journals, and the Governor had the power to grant or revoke new licenses.
The Registration Act of 1857
The act did not impose limits on the press but it did control newspaper and book printing. The publisher was required to provide the name of the publisher and printer, and the location where the book was published.
The Newspaper Act of 1908
The statute allowed the magistrate to seize the press’s goods if they published offensive content in journals, periodicals or newspapers.
The Indian Press Act of 1930
The local government was given the authority to obtain security from the publisher and printer at registration and deregister if the offender was discovered.
The Indian Press Act of 1931
The provincial administrations had complete authority over suppressing civil disobedience movement propaganda.
The Official Secrets Act of 1923
This act made the operations of the Indian National Congress illegal.
Conclusion
The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 targeted only vernacular language publications. Many challenges and issues arose as a result of the act’s existence. However, the problem was resolved with the suggestion of translating the native newspaper into English!