Question

What was the role of the press in promoting nationalistic sentiments amongst the Indians?

Answer 1

Hint: The printing press such as newspapers and journals played an important role in inspiring and spreading the influence and the feeling of nationalism in India. Prominent newspapers give the message of patriotism and modern ideals such as liberty and equality. Many Western newspapers and journals also write about the national movements that took place in India.

Complete answer: The printing press has played an important role in carrying ideas to the people. During that time many nationalist journals were published to arouse the sentiments of the Indian public against the oppressive British rule in India. Many newspapers fostered the ideas of nationalism, patriotism, justice, liberty, equality etc in the country. Many prominent newspapers such as The Times of India, The Bengali, The Hindu and newspapers in regional languages also wrote about it. The press Delhi criticised the unjust and oppressive policies of the British government which created awareness among the Indian citizens. People also became aware of what was happening around them particularly the political and social development of the world outside India and this led them demanding the policies and programs that would benefit the people of India.
Young India was one such example of nationalist weekly paper or journal in English published by Gandhi from 1919 to 1931. Gandhi particularly used this general to inspire people and spread his ideology and thoughts of non-violence in organising movements and urged readers to organise and plan for the freedom of India from Britain.
To conclude, the printing press played a crucial role in spreading the idea of nationalism and undue freedom of India.

Note: Several Nationalist newspapers were published in the 1900s. It includes Bande Mataram which was an English language newspaper founded by Bipin Chandra Pal in 1905, Bombay chronicle in 1910 by Firoz Shah Mehta etc. However, the press Act of 1910 was passed by the British government to impose strict censorship on all kinds of publications and to bring down the influence of Indian vernacular and English language newspapers in promoting Indian nationalism.