Bala Ganagadhara Tilak’s imprisonment by invoking the law of sedition failed to suppress the freedom struggle. Analyse (200 Words)
Refer - The Indian Express
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 4 years
KEY POINTS
· Tilak’s first trial for sedition had its origin in the famine of 1896. Kesari, the weekly newspaper started by Tilak, had a series of articles that criticised the conduct of officials who insisted on collecting land tax even during a famine, and for not implementing the Famine Relief Code.
· Bubonic plague struck Pune in 1897, which incidentally forced the British administration to enact the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. To stem the spread of this contagious disease, repressive measures were adopted by Walter Charles Rand, who was appointed as a special duty officer.
· Tilak had written strong articles condemning the brutality of the measures adopted even before this murder.
· In addition, Tilak also wrote an article justifying the killing of Afzal Khan by Shivaji. The Anglo-Indian press bitterly criticised the British government for not taking action against Tilak.
· Tilak was arrested and tried for sedition before the Bombay High Court. Ironically, the lawyer who secured him bail, Dinshaw Davar, became the judge who would pass a savage sentence on him 10 years later.
· He sentenced Tilak to 18 months’ imprisonment. While the Anglo-Indian press gloated over his conviction, the ruling was criticised in England.
· The partition of Bengal and the killing of two English women by a bomb hurled by Khudiram Bose led to large-scale repression. The Anglo-Indian press attacked Tilak for provoking the youth to engage in violent protests. Once again, Tilak wrote several articles in Kesari and asked the government to stop repressing freedom.
· This second trial was once again a mere formality. Tilak argued his own case. He pointed out that the English translation of his articles had serious errors and asked for a correct version, but this plea was rejected.
· What was regrettable was that the jury consisted of seven Englishmen/Anglo-Indians and two Indians who eventually dissented. Davar accepted the majority verdict and sentenced Tilak to six years imprisonment.
· His articles, according to Davar, were seething with sedition and approved the committing of murder with bombs. He concluded that Tilak’s journalism was a curse for India.
· Tilak was sent to Mandalay jail in Burma and returned in 1914. Justice Davar’s judgment came in for much criticism. Davar’s verdict was also criticised by several newspapers in England except for The Times, which welcomed it.
· Tilak’s imprisonment by invoking the law of sedition failed to suppress the freedom struggle. The two trials teach us useful lessons in dealing with public protests. A wise government would do well to ascertain the opposite viewpoint and have the grace to correct its path wherever necessary. Suppressing widespread dissent or criticism has always proved counterproductive.
