Why should newspaper accounts of the national movement not be seen as unprejudiced?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → They were published by people with their own political opinions.
Option (1) They were checked by the colonial Home Department before printing. — Incorrect. The Home Department compiled its own confidential Fortnightly Reports. Newspapers are not described as checked by it, so this is not the reason for their bias.
Option (2) They were published by people with their own political opinions. — Correct. Newspapers were run by people who had their own political opinions and world views. These ideas shaped what was published and how events were reported.
Option (3) They were based on the confidential reports of local police. — Incorrect. Confidential police reports fed the Home Department's Fortnightly Reports, a different source. Newspapers had their own reporters and editors.
Option (4) They were written mainly for readers living in Britain. — Incorrect. Newspapers came out in English and in many Indian languages, so they were not written mainly for British readers.
NCERT (2026-27): “6.4 From newspapers “Newspaper accounts, however, should not be seen as unprejudiced. They were published by people who had their own political opinions and world views. These ideas shaped what was published and the way events were reported.” |