Explain the role of newspapers in social reform and the freedom movement in Maharashtra.

Answer: In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, newspapers spread new ideas among people and became an important weapon of social reform and of the freedom struggle.

• Balshastri Jambhekar started ‘Darpan’ in 1832, the first Marathi newspaper, to spread modern knowledge and reformist ideas.
• ‘Prabhakar’ of Bhau Mahajan and ‘Deenbandhu’ of Krishnarao Bhalekar wrote about the problems of farmers, workers and the common people.
• Lokmanya Tilak’s ‘Kesari’ (Marathi) and ‘Maratha’ (English) criticised the unjust policies of the British government and created national awakening.
• Gopal Ganesh Agarkar’s ‘Sudharak’ fought against social evils such as child marriage and caste discrimination.

Thus newspapers created public opinion and prepared people for reform and for the struggle for independence.