The Vernacular Press Act was enacted in which year in British India to limit the freedom of the Indian-language press?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. 1878.
The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was introduced by the British colonial government under the leadership of Lord Lytton, the then Viceroy of India. The Act was specifically designed to curb the freedom of the Indian-language (vernacular) press, which was increasingly critical of British policies. It empowered the government to suppress publications that were deemed seditious or inflammatory, particularly those stirring nationalist sentiments. The law was widely condemned by Indian nationalists as an attack on free speech and was eventually repealed in 1882 due to pressure and protests from Indian leaders and the press community.