The Vernacular Press Act was passed on this day, proposed by Viceroy Lord Lytton. It was aimed at curbing the freedom of Indian-language press. In particular, the criticism of the Second Anglo-Afghan War in the Indian-language newspapers had irked the British and the law was meant to suppress such opposition.
The Act allowed the government to censor reports and editorials in the Indian press. The fiery Amrita Bazar Patrika was one of the main targets of the Act.
Widespread protests followed its enactment. It was repealed in 1881 by Lord Ripon, who followed Lord Lytton as Viceroy. But the resentment remained among the Indians and contributed to the founding of the Indian National Congress.
In the British Parliament in 1884, the Act was discussed as having passed “without the knowledge of Parliament or the people of this country”.