Journalism is often termed the first draft of history. Newspapers record history. Some newspapers also create history for several reasons. Kesari is one of those newspapers which has recorded and created history in almost equal measures.
It has been used as the socio-political platform of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of the most prominent leaders of the Bharatiya freedom movement. Kesari was his megaphone for propagating his social and political ideology and countering his opponents.
The history behind Kesari & Mahratta –
Tilak, Vishnushastri Chiplunkar & Gopal Ganesh Agarkar started the New English School on 2nd Jan 1880 in Pune. Mahadeo Ballal Namjoshi, a local editor was also a part of the school. The same year, the founders thought of expanding the scope of the school into 2 branches.
The first branch (vertical) was to start a college. The second vertical was to start a printing press & a newspaper. The machinery was installed at the famous Aryabhushan Press, founded by Vishnushashtri in 1878, located in Morobadada Wada in Budhwar Peth.
The first print in the press was the Statement of Objective of Kesari signed by Vishnushastri, Tilak, Agarkar, Apte, Namjoshi & Dr Ganesh Gadre accompanied by the 66th edition of Vishnushastri’s famous ‘Nibandhamala’.
The Mahratta got launched on Sunday, January 2, 1881, in English and the ‘Kesari’ on January 4, 1881, in Marathi.
They had specific objectives for starting these newspapers, which were spelt out clearly in the 1st issue of Kesari: “a newspaper is useful in two ways. Firstly, if the newspapers carry out their duty impartially & dauntlessly, govt officials are filled with awe. The purpose that is served, in the night, by lighting the street lamps or by the continuous patrolling of the police, is the purpose that is served by the incessant penmanship of journalists.”
Kesari recorded the social history of pre-independence Bharat and its struggle for independence. Kesari also played a significant role in triggering and driving the socio-political movement in pre-independence times. Tilak was emotionally and functionally closer to Kesari than Mahratta. Over time, Kesari became an extension of his personality.
To quote noted litterateur N. C. Kelkar, “It is impossible to consider the ‘Kesari’ exclusive of Tilak and Tilak apart from the ‘Kesari”. Tilak made use of Kesari for bringing about political consciousness among the masses for the purpose of the freedom struggle, for giving a new direction to their thinking and for boosting the different agitations and programmes initiated by him.
The 4-point programme of ‘Swaraj, Swadeshi, Boycott and National Education’ that Tilak offered to the Congress and to the whole nation, was strongly propagated by Kesari.
As Tilak took to agitation and confrontation with the British Govt, he and along with him Kesari had to suffer the rage of the British Rulers. It had to face many court cases. Many times Kesari had to furnish sureties and the editors had to suffer imprisonment.
2 such cases became much talked about. There were charges of sedition 1st in 1897 and 2nd in 1908. In 1897, a series of articles on the mal-governance and repression of the British administration during the 1897 Plague epidemic in Maharastra, particularly in Pune, angered the admin.
The ‘Suspension of Land Revenue’ campaign started by Kesari also incurred the wrath of the British. The murder of Rand at Ganeshkhind in Pune ultimately unhinged the mind of the Govt & launched prosecution against Tilak and charged him with sedition. This resulted in 18 months of R.I. (Rigorous Imprisonment) for Tilak.
The 2nd prosecution on the charge of sedition was in 1908. Lord Curzon had planned the partition of Bengal & entire country was opposed to it. Following the bomb blast at Muzaffarpur, an engine of repression was let loose in Bengal. In this situation Tilak wrote about the development concerning Bengal in four articles in Kesari titled, 1) Misfortune of the Nation. 2) Double warning. 3) What the bomb blast really means? 4) These Remedies are not Durable.
The British slapped sedition charges based on the 1st & 4th articles. Tilak was convicted & sentenced to 6 years imprisonment and was sent to Mandalay prison in Myanmar (Burma).
But nothing could dampen the zeal & spirit of Tilak and his newspaper Kesari.
Tilak said, “Even if the sky collapses on me, I shall stand firmly thereon”. Kesari continued.
(This article has been compiled from the tweet thread posted by @sheshapatangi1 on Oct 11, 2022, with minor edits to improve readability and conform to the HinduPost style guide)
