Question

write a short note on vernacular act 1878?

Answer 1

Vernacular Press Act, in British India, lawenacted in 1878 to curtail the freedom of the Indian-language (i.e., non-English) press. Proposed by Lord Lytton, then viceroy of India (governed 1876–80), the act was intended to prevent the vernacular press from expressing criticism of British policies—notably, the opposition that had grown with the outset of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80). The act excluded English-language publications. It elicited strong and sustained protests from a wide spectrum of the Indian populace.

The law was repealed in 1881 by Lytton’s successor as viceroy, Lord Ripon (governed 1880–84). However, the resentment it produced among Indians became one of the catalysts giving rise to India’s growing independence movement. Among the act’s most vocal critics was the Indian Association(founded 1876), which is generally considered to be one of the precursors of the Indian National Congress (founded 1885).

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Answer 2

The press became a powerful weapon in building the feeling of Nationalism in India. So Lord Amherst imposed restrictions on the Press in 1823 A.D. It was enacted very strictly in 1878 A.D. by Lord Lytton. He imposed some conditions by passing the ‘Vernacular Press Act 1878 A.D.”. The condition imposed were:

1) No government employee can edit any newspaper without prior permission of the government.

The editor as well as the publishers and the other associated persons will be arrested if any newspaper published in native language, reports anything against the British.

2) The equipments and machineries will also be seized.

Many people called it ‘Gagging Act’ as it tried to strangulate the voices of the press. Large scale protests started against this act.


Before passing the Press Act of Lord Lytton ‘Somprakash’ and ‘Sahachar’ were banned.

‘Amrita Bazar Patrika’ of Sisir Kumar Ghosh was published both in English and Bengali. With the enactment of this Act, it was published in English only. The Press Act literally made the Indians anti-British.



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