Regulations By British Government To Curb Freedom Of Press

The fourth pillar of democracy is the media. India, which ranks second in terms of print media, is one of the largest democracies in the world. During the British rule, newspapers faced many problems and challenges. In addition to the challenges posed by colonialism and illiteracy, journalists had to comply with many laws restricting freedom of speech. The media became an important tool to educate the people about the need for unity against the British and for independence. The media was instrumental in promoting modern ideas such as democracy, freedom, equality and nationalism. India’s long war of independence faced many challenges. The repressive authorities in India who tried to regulate the media fought against the freedom of the press for a long time. Oppression, colonial restrictions, illiteracy and barriers to development hinder the growth of Indian media. It became a popular tool of the liberation movement and helped spread liberal ideas. An understanding of the past is necessary to understand the extent of the boundaries established by the Government of British India. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, India experienced a thriving media, and newspapers played an important role in shaping public opinion. The press became a powerful tool for mobilizing the masses to oppose and protest against British rule. The colonial government saw the press as a potential threat so repeated attempts were made to restrict and regulate it.

Sir James Augustus was the first to establish the "Bengal Gazette or Calcutta General Advertiser" in 1780, and Hickey's efforts laid the foundation for an Indian newspaper. But later it stopped publishing because it was criticized as East India Company. The British are credited with introducing independent media and free press in India during the colonial period. However, the British government worked very hard to suppress the nationalist sentiment spread by Indian newspapers. The Bengal Journal, Calcutta Chronicle, Madras Courier and Bombay Herald were among the many publications that followed. But the censorship policies of the British East India Company limited each of them. There are many other laws which have been enacted by the Company to harass or control the Indian press, such as the Censorship of the Press Act, 1799, the Licensing Act, 1857, the Indian Press Act, 1910, and so on

During the British rule in India, the government imposed strict controls on the press. Section 124A was a law that punished people for criticizing the British government. However, nationalist media developed subtle ways to go beyond these limitations. They either paraphrased critical articles from the English press or began their own with language of official loyalty. This required a skillful combination of understated messaging and simplicity. The national movement in British India has always backed freedom of the press. In response to newspaper criticism of Lord Lytton’s government’s treatment of the hungry, the government passed the Vernacular Press Act to regulate the press in 1878. Early attempts to crack down on the press the limits of freedom include 19th century press law. The Vernacular Press Act of 1878, also known as the "Gagging Act", specifically targeted Indian language newspapers. The act gave the government the right to censor publications deemed seditious or critical of British foreign policy. The arbitrary power of the authorities can severely restrict freedom of expression by stopping or confiscating publications without following due procedures.

Indian newspapers were mainly controlled by the Press Act of 1910. It empowered the local government to demand payment for any "objectionable material" expressing criticism of the regime and nearly a thousand petitions were filed in court for that under this law. Media coverage of Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha was crucial in mobilizing the masses against the British. This increased the conflict between the government and the magazine. In response to Gandhi’s arrest in 1930, the government passed the Press (Emergency Powers) Act of 1931. It gave censorship powers to provincial governments Further restrictions came with the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. Despite the enactment of the Press Emergency Act of 1931, the government insisted on strict censorship It monitored and exposed international news. In the context of these censorship practices, the All India Newspaper Editors Conference was conceived. His goal was to protect the country’s freedom of the press. It urged closer relations with the government and fought the British government to lift the restrictions.

In 1947, the Post-Independence Press Review Committee was formed to examine the press law in terms of fundamental rights defined by the Constitution. The Press Commission was formed under the chairmanship of Justice Raja in 1954. It was created All India Press Council was one of the major recommendations of the committee. Then-Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice J.R. New laws were passed in the following years:

- Working journalist (Working Conditions and Provisions Act of 1955).

- 1956 Newspaper (Price and Page) Act, 1954 Distribution of Books and Papers (Public Libraries) Act

- The Parliamentary Information (Protection of Documents) Act, 1999.

Currently, there is no organization in the country that deals exclusively with freedom of the press. Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution which states that "all citizens have the right to freedom of speech and opinion" governs all matters relating to freedom of the press as Article 19(1) prohibits jurisdiction absolutely, Article 19(2) places restrictions on these freedoms. Other self-regulatory bodies have been established that regulate news on television, such as the Broadcast Editors Association (BEA) and the News Broadcasting Association (NBA) Central News Media Accreditation Guidelines, 1999, which are regulated by electronic media.

In the Indian independence movement, the battle for freedom of the press was not merely a partisan affair; Rather, it was an integral part of a larger movement for independence and self-determination. Recognizing the enormous influence of the press on public opinion, the British colonial government implemented many draconian laws to suppress dissent and control expression, but these legislative bodies failed to censor information the integrity of independent reporters. The courage and tenacity of journalists in censorship laid the foundation for India’s thriving, democratic media landscape today. The historical context of press freedom in pre-independence India is a sobering reminder of the importance of protecting this fundamental right in the ongoing struggle for democracy and human rights. During British rule, the media actively supported civil uprisings against the government. The purpose of the enactment was to silence critics and preserve British sovereignty over the subject. Newspapers survived in the face of these obstacles, and the press was essential to foster solidarity and resistance against colonial oppression and resistance. The arduous journey of journalists in the pre-independence years is a testament to the freedom that Indian newspapers enjoy today. Journalists still have an ethical obligation to promote standards of journalistic integrity by disseminating accurate information without bias, whether through print or mass media. The media then and now remains a powerful force for social change, influencing not only the political climate but also the social and religious fabric of the country.

If we look back at history, we see that newspapers and the media have played an important role in enhancing national identity and spreading the idea of freedom. Colonial restrictions, widespread illiteracy, barriers to progress and outright oppression all shaped the history of Indian media. But it went on to become a powerful strategy that was essential to the independence movement. The story of the development of the Indian newspaper is essentially one of the arduous journeys of the shield during the War of Independence. It is a testament to the media’s continued ability to influence social change. Considering this historical context, it is clear that newspapers not only recorded history but also acted as catalysts for social change. The lessons of the past underscore the need to continue to protect and preserve press freedom in the current efforts to build a just and democratic society.