The significant but less discussed contribution to the freedom struggle

Kasturi Ranga Iyengar | Photo credit: The Hindu Archives

Varadarajulu Naidu took over the Tamil weekly newspaper Prapanchamitran in December 1916. In 1918 he was arrested for sedition and sentenced to 18 months in prison. | Photo credit: The Hindu Archives

Earlier this month, the country celebrated its 78th Independence Day and various events were held to commemorate the achievements of different sections of society. One of the sections whose role was extremely important but which is less talked about these days is that of the press. The field of journalism in Tamil Nadu, known as Madras Presidency during the freedom struggle, occupied no less important space than in the Bengal and Bombay Presidencies. The Hindu was a product of the period of the national movement and is one of the few living institutions established during the British era.

On the role of the press, A. Berriedale Keith, Professor of Sanskrit and Comparative Philology at the University of Edinburgh, wrote in The Hindu on 7 December 1939: “Without freedom of the press, the work of the Indian National Congress would indeed have lost much of its impact, for it was only through the press that its constitutional aspirations could be widely publicised and universally supported.” The veteran academician further quoted Thomas Munro, a prominent administrator of the Madras Presidency, who was associated with the land tenure reforms, as saying: “A free press and the rule of foreigners are things which are utterly incompatible and cannot long coexist, for what is the first duty of a free press? It is to free the country from the yoke of the foreigner.”

“Born in anger”

Started as a weekly in 1878, the newspaper became a daily in 1889. Speaking of its beginnings, S. Muthiah, an eminent historian of Chennai, said, “Believe it or not, The Hindu was born out of anger. Six angry young men, all barely out of their teens, felt that the campaign of the Anglo-Indian Press – newspapers owned and published by the British – against the appointment of the first Indian, T. Muthuswami Aiyer, as a judge of the Madras High Court was blatantly unfair and had to be firmly rejected.” He mentioned this in an article published on September 13, 2003, on the occasion of the 125th anniversary celebrations of the newspaper.

G. Subramania Iyer, Kasturi Ranga Iyengar and Kasturi Srinivasan were among the famous editors of the newspaper, who were also vigorous defenders of freedom. While Iyer was also the founder of a Tamil magazine called Swadesamitran, Iyengar, despite being a colleague of Mahatma Gandhi, did not hold back from publicly expressing his differences with the Mahatma on issues such as the Non-Cooperation Movement and entry into the legislature.

Arrested in Courtallam

VN Swami, a ninety-year-old journalist, points out in his book Viduthalai Poril Patrigaiyalargal (2023) that Iyengar overcame financial constraints and the hostility of the British government and worked for the growth of the newspaper. Iyer, who had founded the Tamil magazine in 1882, was arrested by the British at Courtallam, now in Tenkasi district, for publishing “nine allegedly seditious articles” in Swadesamitran between January and June 1908. He was under arrest for three weeks in August and September 1908.

A biography of Iyer published in 1968 by the Publications Department of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting mentions that he was arrested for three weeks. During his arrest, the authorities raided the printing press of the Tamil magazine, his temporary residence in Courtallam where he was recuperating, and his house in Chennai.

Mr. Swami's book, which covers journalists from across the country, features several distinguished members of the State's press. It includes accounts not only of prominent leaders who also played the role of journalist, but also of lesser-known figures.

C. Rajagopalachari (CR), EV Ramasamy (EVR), Subramania Bharati, TV Kalyanasundaram, P. Varadarajulu Naidu, M. Singaravelar and JC Kumarappa are some of those who belong to the first category. The second category includes GA Natesan, Ardhanareeswara Varma, Sheikh Thambi Pavalar, Raya. Chockalingam, TS Chokkalingam, SDS Yogiar, V. Swaminatha Sarma, Kanna. Muthiah and Mayandi Bharati.

Charged with incitement

Varadarajulu Naidu's story is worth remembering. He started his career in journalism and took over the Tamil weekly Prapanchamitran in December 1916. In 1918, Naidu was arrested for sedition for his article and sentenced to 18 months in prison. He won the case on appeal in the Madras High Court and CR had defended him as his lawyer. But the British government ensured that the magazine was closed down. Naidu later became the editor of Tamil Nadu, another Tamil weekly.

In 1921, he was arrested for another “seditious” article and sentenced to nine months in prison. This time it was EVR's turn to come to Naidu's aid and pay Rs 500 to govern Tamil Nadu, says Mr. Swami.

A look at the history of journalism in Tamil Nadu reveals that many great personalities endured great hardships just to secure and promote the cause of freedom – just as their contemporaries had done in the rest of the country during the British rule.