Vernacular Press Act
A bitter legacy of the 1857 revolt was the racial bitterness between the ruler and the ruled. After 1858, the European press always rallied behind the government in political controversies while the vernacular press was critical of the government. There was a strong public opinion against the imperialistic policies of Lytton, compounded by terrible famine (1876-1877), on the one hand, and lavish expenditure on the imperial Delhi Durbar, on the other.
The Vernacular Press Act (VPA) was designed to 'better control' the vernacular press and effectively punish and repress 'seditious writing' in 'publication in oriental languages'. The provisions of the act included the following:
1. The district magistrate was empowered to call upon the printer and publisher of any vernacular newspaper to enter into a bond with the government undertaking not to cause disaffection against the government or antipathy between persons of different religions, caste, race through published material; the printer and publisher could also be required to deposit security, which could be forfeited if the regulations were contravened, and press equipment could be seized if the offence re-occured.
2. The magistrate's action was final and no appeal could be made in a court of law.
3. A vernacular newspaper could get exemption from the operation of the act by submitting proofs to a government censor.
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 to appeal
Later, the pre-censorship clause was repealed, and a press commissioner was appointed to supply authentic and accurate news to the press. There was strong opposition to the act, and finally Ripon repealed it in 1882.
0 Comments
If you have any doubt please let me know