The Role Of Press in

The War Of 1857

BSMC SECTION-B

Out Lines Introduction

Characteristics The War of independence 1857

Hold Britishers Over Press

Local Newspapers

Non Muslim Majority

Balanced Muslim Majority

Points Role Of Press

Pen Newspaper

English Press

Colonical Press Laws Against Newspaper

Delhi and war of independence

Anglo Indian Press

English Owned Press

Victimization of Muslim Press

IntroductionIn The annals of our freedom struggle the 1857 war of independence represents a bold and desperate attempt of the people of the subcontinent to wrest freedom from foreign rule .Wearied of the inexorable ruthless and predatory domination of the east India company for over 100 years , they resolutely plunged in the move throw of the yoke of the alien rulers . However , when the armed struggle failed , not only the soldiery but the press which had made a significant contribution in it inevitably bore theBrunt of British vengeance . During the critical days of the war of Independence , the press supported the freedom fighters ,although by no means it was free . Indeed , with the advent of the company rule , It lost all the freedom and independence it had enjoyed during the

Mughal rule . Before analyzing the role of journalism in the Mughal rule . Before analyzing the role of journalism in the

war of Independence war of Independence

Characteristics The War Characteristics The War OF OF 1857 of Independence 1857 of Independence

1. Hold Of Brit isher of Press : The English newspapers

published in the subcontinent were both , weekly and daily . But these English newspapers were owned by “Anglo Indians “ or britishers . So naturally they supported British government on “ every- national or international issue “ . They opposed the british government . Otherwise they were the supporters of the british Government .

2. Local Newspaper : All the local newspaper which were

published in the local languages of subcontinent were weekly newspapers , published round about 6,000 and 30 to 40 thousand readers .

3. Non – Muslim Majority : Urdu local newspapers were owned

mostly by non- muslims it was the regin of Bahadur shah Zafar So in delhi all the newspapers were owned by the muslims but these papers were very few although they were the Supporters of the muslim king .

4. Balanced Muslim Majority : Muslims newspapers were very

reserved in their attitude towards “ British Government “. They presented their views very carefully without using any harsh words . On the other side , whenever Muslim newspapers criticized the briitsh government then their critism was compensated with the flattering of East india company continued for many weeks . Because it was the fact that economically , the muslim empire was weaker and it was not in the condition to support the muslims and their newspapers while many newspapers even were given the financial Aid by british government so they could not displease the british government .

Points Role Of Press Here we have some points to discuss on role of press :

Pen Newspaper English Press Colonial Press Laws Against Newspaper Delhi and War Of Independence Muslim Victimization Anglo – Indian Press Victimization Of Muslim Press

1. Pen Newspaper : Pen – newspaper were hand written which were

distributed among the readers or sometimes a person loudly read the newspaper by standing on a particular place . In 1800 a person had issued Pen – Newspaper in great numbers for the purpose of gaining the favour of people against the British government .

Objective Of Pen Newspaper

Passion Of Fight War Against The Britishers Critism on the Government Effects of Pen- Newspaper Sir John Malcom Lord Macauly

i. To Motivate The Passion of Fight : The Main Objective of pen

– newspaper was to motivate the passion of fight in the people and let them to participate in the war of independence for their own country and for Mughal empire . As we know , all the newspapers of delhi were the supporters of Mughal King . Bahadur Shah Zafar was against the british government , So pen – newspaper tried to develop hateful feeling among the people of sub-continent against the East india company .

ii. War Against the Britishers : Pen-newspaper played a very

important role before the war of 1857 . They develop hateful feelings among the people and realized them that the only way of living freely is to be rescued from the British government , otherwise they will become the slaves of Britishers .

iii. Critism on the Government : Pen- Newspaer critism the

government very frequently . They criticized the British government

along with the official of the british government .

iv. Effects Of Pen-Newspaper : Mutiny was the soul of pen-

newspaper and it was included in their objectives to prepare the people for war with britishers and get their country free from the hold of britishers . Effects of pen can be known by the statement of british official .

v. Sir John Malcom : He described the reasons behind the munity of

1857 by saying that pen-newspapers played very important

Role in developing the hateful feelings in the people for east india company and made them to participate in the mutiny of 1857 .

Lord Orcland : “ Whenever we are in tension , pen-newspaper adopted in aggressive attitude towards us with out any favour or support and created more problems for us “

vi.Lord Macauly : In 1836 , a member of governor general , Lord Macauly wrote in a note that “ Only from delhi , 120 pen-newspapers were sent to the different cities of sub-continent which criticized the government directly including the role of officials and their activities without any fear . Their purpose was only to criticize the british government on one hand and motivate the people against us on other Side “

By analyzing these statements . We can understand easily the effects of pen newspapers over the british government and the people of sub-continent also .

2. English Press : In the beginning of 1857 , prejudiced attitude of the English press came on the surface . It demanded to curtail the “ Freedom “ of local press . When the war of independence started , English press claimed that it was the result of that freedom which local press enjoyed . The English enjoyed owned press displayed the wrost type of rasialism and openly raised the cry a guillotine against the freedom fighters and the vernacular press , particularly the Urdu press and the Persion Press . Lord Canning did not disappoint them . While promulgation the press Act of 1857 , he condemned the indian newspaper and complimented the European press for their loyalty and intelligence .

3. Colonial Press Law Against Newspaper : Governor-general of india

Lord Canning enacted a law , by which every newspaper and journal had to obtain a license from the government . The government had the authority to cancle any license . Also , the government acquired the right of censorship by this law .

The first victim of this law was the “ Bengal Harkaro “ . The paper was owned by Dwarka tagore and his friends . The Government canceled its license and re-issued when editor of the paper was dismissed . Friends of india re-missioned before cancellation of license . License of a hindu newspaper named the hindu intelligence was also canceled under the provision of this law . The hindu intelligence was published from calcutta , Three more newspaper from celcutta two owned by Muslims “ Doorbeen “ and “ Sultan-ul-Akhbar” and one owned by the Hindus “ Samachar Sudh Darshan “ were prosecuted . Murtazai , from Peshawar was alleged to had published a false news items . This paper was banned and the editor was imprisoned.

“ Gulshan-e-Bahar “ a persion newspaper from Calcutta , was also banned and its printing press was confiscated . Two newspapers from Lahore were ordered to be censored before publication and Chashma-e-faiz from Sialkot Riaz-ul-Akhbar was censored and later on banned . This newspaper was published from Multan .

4. Delhi And War Of Independence : At that time , Delhi was not under the rule of britishers. Newspaper from here propagated the noble cause of the Indians . They kept the public of war . They helped freedom fighters to a great extent . The three main newspapers from Delhi were Sadiq-ul-Akhbar , Delhi Urdu Akhbar , Siraj-ul-Akhbar . Siraj-ul-Akhbar was the gazzet of bahadur Shah Zafar At the End of the war , all these newspapers were closed down . Maulvi Muhammad Bakir the owner of the delhi urdu Akhbar , Was shot dead .

5. Muslim Victimization : After the war Muslim were especially

victimized by the britishers and the Hindus came closer to the government . They setup their own process . In 1853 , the total Urdu Newspaper were 35 and in 1857 , this number was reduced to only 12 . Out of them , six were old and six were new . From these 12 newspapers , only one newspaper was owned by a Muslim .

6. Anglo Indian Press : During the war of independence Anglo indian

press was free of any restriction . It was kept inciting the government to take revenge from the natives . Its attitude towards local press was very provocative Editorials Coloumns of Anglo-Indians newspaper were harsh and objectionable . In short , Anglo Indian Press was given free hand to write what it wanted .

7. English Owned Press : The English owned press displayed the wrost

type of racialism and openly raised the cry and hatred against freedom fighters and the vernacular press , particularly the urdu and Persian Lord Canning did not disappointed them . While promulgation , the press act of 1857 , He Condemned the indian newspaper of and complimented the European press for their loyalty and intelligence .

8. Victimization Of Muslim Press : During the war of

independence , Muslims were the main point of british and Hindus Victimization . So during this period , Muslim press was facing bad times During the trial of Bahadur Shah Zafar English Prosecutor Major F.J Harriet Said that the “ Mutiny was the product of a Muslim conspiracy and almost universally the muslims were regarded as the forementors of the revolt and its chief beneficiaries and that the press and palace hatched it “ . Khawaja Hassan Nizami and Khan Bahadur Shams-ul-ulema,

Muhammad Zikaullah both have cited the name of Sadiq-ul-Akhbar in this connection . Mualvi Zikaullah blamed the press and the palace for the conspiracy . He has used highly derogatory language for the freedom fighters and the press of delhi particularly Sadiq-ul-Akhbar edited by the syed Jamiluddin and Delhi Urdu Akhbar was edited by Maulvi Muhammd Baqir . Both the papers were executed while Jamiluddin was failed for three years indeed the muslim press was almost annihilated by the British after they regained control of delhi and other areas in india . This is evident from the fact that while prior to 1853 , the total circulation of 35 newspaper was 2,216 in 1858 , the circulation of 12 surviving newspapers was 3,223 of these two belong to hindus and only one to muslim similarly in the north west the discrimination was pronounced while the Murtzai and Riaz-e-noor were banned , Munshi Dinan Chand , the hindu newspapers magnate of Sialkot was only asked to transfer his establishment to Lahore by the middle of 1857 , The Muslim press was completely wiped out .

Major Newspaper Some major papers like the Oudh Akhbar Lucknow; the Scintific Gazette, Aligarh, the Tahazib-ul- Akhlaq,Aligarh; the Oudh Punch, Lucknow; the Akmalul Akhbar, Delhi; the Punjab Akhbar, Lahore; the Shamsul Akhbar, Madras; the Kashful Akhbar, Bombay; the Qasim-ul-Akhbar, Bangalore and the Asiful Akhbar Hyderabad.

Tayyab HusnainShahroz AnwarJaveriaHasnat Manzoor

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