Role of Press in Freedom Movement – A Case Study of India (Newspaper)

The turn of the twentieth century, however saw definite changes in the tone of the native press. In this situation S.N.Thirumalachari decided to publish a Tamil periodical India on 6th May 1906. Apart from fiery article and songs, the periodical published cartoons arguably the earliest in the Indian language press. India's writings made great impact on the national movement and increased the political knowledge of the ordinary people and openly criticized the injustice measures of the British Government and support the left wing of the Congress. A perusal of some of the important editorials, notes, articles and reports that appeared in the India newspaper gives us a clear idea that it showed the new approach to the problems faced by the people and contributed to the growth and consolidation of the views of the radicals in Tamil Nadu. The Madras government systematically scrutinized India's writings, and forward to the Government of India. The British Government ordered the Postal and Revenue Department to forfeit India's issue and ban any money order being sent to the India office in Pondicherry. So India office had to suffer financially. Then the British Government curtailed the area of circulation of India. Thus as a result the India paper crushed by the British Government in 1910.