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INDIAN NEWSPAPER REPORTS, c1868-1942

from the British Library, London

Part 8: Punjab 1896-1924; Sind 1936-1939; Burma 1938-1942; Bihar and Orissa 1920

Publisher's Note

Part 8 consists of newspaper reports for the Punjab 1896-1924; Sind 1936-1939; Burma 1938-1942; Bihar and Orissa 1920. The Indian Newspaper Reports from the Asia, Pacific and Africa Department at the British Library, constitute an important series to be found in the Record Department Papers of the Oriental and India Office Collections. The reports consist of abstracts of Anglo-Indian and Vernacular newspapers for the different regions of India.

PUNJAB

Introduction

After the First Anglo-Sikh War from 1845 to1846, the area of the Punjab between the Sutlej and Beas rivers and Kashmir were ceded to Britain. Some British troops were stationed in the Punjab to oversee the regency of Maharaja Dhalip Singh who was a minor and the Sikh army was reduced greatly in size. In 1848 unrest spread throughout the Punjab between the Sikh troops and the British which developed into the Second Anglo-Sikh War. This resulted in the annexation of the Punjab by the British East India Company in 1849 and the Punjab becoming a province of British India.

The geographical and political predominance of the Punjab made it one of Britain’s most important assets with Lahore as a centre of learning and culture and Rawalpindi becoming an important centre for the British army.

At the beginning of the twentieth century the Punjab became a centre for anti-British sentiment and called for independence from Britain, culminating in the Indian National Congress proclaiming independence from Lahore in 1930. The All-India Muslim League grew stronger in this period and in 1940 the Lahore Resolution of the League to work for Pakistan made the Punjab a centre stage for the violence between the majority Muslims and the Hindu and Sikh minorities which was to result in the ultimate partition of the Punjab in 1947.

Punjab Newspaper Reports, 1896-1924

The reports were completed weekly and consist of typewritten abstracts of the contents of Native Newspapers published in the Punjab. The early reports contain a list of the newspapers looked at, divided into Urdu, Hindi and Gurmukhi. The place of publication is given and the circulation number. Hamdard-i-Hind for example in 1900 had a readership of 500 which had grown by 1903 to 3,300. The later reports are divided into English, Urdu, Persian and Gurmukhi.

Around 100 newspapers were looked at weekly giving a wide spectrum of opinion, including: Arya Gazette, Jahan Numa, Kaisari Akhbar, Lahore Punch, Punjab, Punjab Theosophist. The majority of the reports contain an extra section devoted to topical subjects such as the Punjab disturbances. These give extracts on the subject from extra-provincial newspapers in cities such as Calcutta and Viswamitra.

The earlier abstracts are divided into the following themes:

  • Political, Home and Abroad
  • General Administration
  • Kine Killing
  • Native States
  • Legislation

Later abstracts have additional themes of Education and Communal and Religious.

Topics are wide ranging, with much on the call for independence and the growth in popularity of Gandhi. Topics include:

  • Famine
  • The Congress movement
  • Complaints against the police
  • Cholera
  • The situation in China, Russia, Turkey
  • Native Press
  • Zamindars
  • Assaults by Europeans on Indians
  • Visits by the Viceroy
  • Punjab Alienation Bill
  • Establishment of military colleges
  • Railways – expansion, grievances
  • Muhammedans and the National Congress
  • Political prisoners in India
  • All-India Muslim League
  • Letter bombs
  • Indian Press Act
  • Indian students in England
  • Hindu University
  • Afghan campaign
  • Rowlatt Act
  • National Congress


SIND

Introduction

Karachi was the first part of Sind to be occupied by the British East India Company in 1839, and by 1843 all of the remaining parts (except for the state of Khairpur) were under the jurisdiction of the British. Sind was made part of the Bombay Presidency in 1847 and the British built railways, developed the postal service, constructed canals and opened up education to all.

Sind became a vociferous centre for freedom from British rule. In 1918 the Sind branch of the All-India Muslim League was established by Ghulam Muhammad Bhurgari and Abdullah Haroon was elected President in 1920. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the prominent Muslim leader, was educated at the Sindh-Madarsat-ul-Islam in Karachi and later practiced law there.

In 1936 Sind became a separate province and after the partition of Pakistan and India in 1947 it regained its self rule.

Sind Newspaper reports, 1936-1939

The newspaper reports consist of typed monthly abstracts of Indian newspapers published in Sind for an important period in its history. Lists of newspapers are not given but the name of the paper and the issue referred to are given next to the abstract.

Newspapers consulted include: Sind Observer, Public Opinion, Sind Sentinel, Sind Samachar, Karachi Daily, Daily Gazette, Maha Gujerat.

The material is not divided into themes but all manner of subjects are covered including WW II, self government, foreign politics, the Native Press and Gandhi.

Topics include:

  • All-India Muslim League
  • Rejection of the Federation by Indian Princes
  • Re-election of Subash Bose as President of the Indian National Congress
  • Indians’ attitude to Britain’s involvement in World War II
  • Partition of Palestine
  • Cotton prices
  • Abdication of Edward VI
  • Withdrawal of Indian troops from Abyssinia
  • Establishment of the Federal Court
  • Pandit Jawaharlal’s attacks on the Press Laws
  • Gandhi’s policy of non-violent boycotts
  • Gandhi’s faith in Dominion status for India
  • Congress Party’s success in the General Election of 1937


BURMA

Introduction

After the Third Anglo-Burmese War Burma was made a province of India in 1886, with the capital at Rangoon. After the opening of the Suez Canal the demand for Burmese rice grew and much of the land was taken over for cultivation of the crop. The work was mostly carried out by indentured Indian labourers and whilst the Burmese economy grew all the power and wealth remained in British hands. The civil service and the army were staffed by Indians and the Anglo-Burmese community and there was much discontent among the Burmese.

By the beginning of the twentieth century the nationalist movement, Young Men’s Buddhist Associations had begun to take shape and a new generation of Burmese leaders who had been educated abroad began to clamour for more autonomy for Burma. In the 1920’s there were strikes by university students and anti-tax protests. This came to a head in 1930 when the Galon rebellion had to be put down by British troops and the Dobama Asiayone (We Burmans Association) was formed. A second university strike by students took place in 1936 which spread to Mandalay and led to the formation of the All Burma Students Union. The unrest culminated with Burma becoming a separately administered territory in 1937. In 1938 discontent in the oilfields of Burma turned into a general strike and in Rangoon and Mandalay protestors were killed by the British.

Ba Maw served as the first Prime Minister of Burma, but was succeeded by U Saw from 1939 until 1942 when he was arrested by the British for communicating with the Japanese.

The Communist Party of Burma was co-founded in 1939 by Aung San. When the Japanese invaded Bangkok in December 1941 Aung San announced the formation of the Burma Independence Army and hoped that the Japanese would rally to his side but instead they asked Ba Maw to form a government. He was declared head of state and his cabinet included Aung San as War Minister. In 1943 the Japanese declared Burma independent but this turned out to be a sham and in 1945 the Burma National Army rose up against the Japanese and Aung San began negotiations with the British which lead to the rout of the Japanese from Burma by May 1945.

Burma Newspaper Reports, 1938-1942

The newspaper reports are divided into weekly abstracts. The lists of newspapers consulted show a wide variety of opinions. Titles include: New Mandalay Sun, Progress, New Light of Burma, Deedok, Sun, Daily Gujerati, Thakin Thadinsa.

Most of the monthly reports begin with a very interesting general introduction which gives an overview of the week’s news and the material is then divided into the following themes:

  • Political
  • Military
  • Educational
  • Communal
  • Economic
  • Miscellaneous

Topics covered include:

  • Hunger strikes and political unrest
  • Independence for Burma
  • Immigration of Chinese and Indian workers
  • WWII, the Japanese and Nazis
  • Burmese Army
  • Taxes
  • Modernisation of agriculture and industry
  • Reform of the education system
  • Riots and demonstrations
  • Coalition government
  • Situation in Mandalay
  • Strikes by oil-field workers and students in Rangoon
  • Religious disturbances between Hindus and Muslims

BIHAR AND ORISSA

Introduction

The territories of Bihar and Orissa were part of the Bengal Presidency, the largest British province in India until 1912 when they were separated from Bengal after a long local campaign forming the Province of Bihar and Orissa. The Province saw much support for the nationalist movement and for Gandhi. In 1936 the Province was divided into two: Bihar which included Bihar and Jharkhand and Orissa and the princely states.

Bihar and Orissa Newspaper Reports, 9-16 October 1920

Only two weeks of reports exist. They are divided into:

  • Foreign Politics
  • Native States
  • Home Administration
  • General
  • Miscellaneous

There is a separate section for Oriya Newspapers.

Topics included are:

  • Police
  • Working of the courts
  • Jail sentences
  • Education
  • Railways
  • Irish politics
  • WW I

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