Heart Strings and Purse Strings

The freedom struggle was not only about personalities and politics. It was also about words.Words that analysed and provoked; explained and inspired. To celebrate 60 years of Independence, 8216;TheIndian Express8217; goes back to its archives and brings you excerpts of reports, editorials and analytical pieces which record a momentous period in the nation732;s history.

Only the other day we published the message of Mahatma Gandhi about the duty of the Press and we have done our best. The recent orders of the government mean nothing but that we shall be glorified issues of the Gazette of India8230;

8230; We somehow feel that the same blood runs in our veins as in those of Gandhiji, Azad, Nehru and other leaders who are in jail8230; We do not want to detail to the public the gagging orders that we have received. Suffice it to say that we cannot publish news relating to our leaders, to the Congress movement, or relating to anything for that matter 8212; indeed, not even facts that vitally affect the community 8212; unless it is contained in a government communique or in a report from a registered correspondent blessed by the District Magistrate. It would be nothing less than a fraud on the public for us to send out a paper containing just that and nothing more. The conditions under which our correspondents have to work have been shocking 8230; More than one correspondent has suspended sending reports as he considered it beneath his dignity to get registered as if he was a ticket-of-leave man and write only what the District Magistrate permits.

Personal interest and the motives of gain, which, according to British economists are the only things that influence the ordinary human being, dictate to us that we should carry on this paper under the only conditions under which we can carry it on, that is, obeying all the restrictive orders. But political economy fails in the face of events and impressions which we cannot forget if we are to live a thousand years 8230; The human race is said to be fighting for its freedom; what avails it to us unless it includes the freedom of our country? Personal laws and inconvenience to us or to the public of the presidency cannot count for anything in this crisis. The hard fact of the situation is that if we went on publishing, the Indian Express may be called a paper, but cannot be a newspaper. We have therefore decided that this will be our last issue for the present8230; We have no regret in suspending publication because we firmly believe that the children of India will hear the voice of the Mother, telegraph or no telegraph, newspaper or no newspaper, Gandhiji has given his message to the people and it does not require further publication. His message lives and will regenerate itself in the heart of every Indian. If the government still wants to save the situation, there is one course, and one and only one, open to them 8212; to release Mahatma Gandhi and concede the national demand.