During the Freedom Struggle, journalism became a tool of resistance as freedom fighters wrote extensively in various regional languages to expose the tyranny of Colonial Rule. One of the pioneering journalists cum freedom fighters was Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. Born in 1890 in Allahabad, present-day Prayagraj district in Uttar Pradesh, he became the Founder and Editor of the revolutionary Hindi newspaper, Pratap.
The newspaper became popular across North India because of its vocal criticism of the colonial and feudal forces. It used journalism to protest and raise awareness. Several of its writers were frequently imprisoned for their criticism of the government's policies. Pratap also published a booklet along with its annual special issue, which covered anecdotal experiences of the countrymen. The newspaper covered important events such as the plight of the indigo farmers in Champaran, the Rae Bareli Massacre, where the zamindars open-fired on the farmers and several other incidents. Due to its truthful and engaging reporting, it gained a loyal readership base. In 1926, when a defamation case was filed against the newspaper and Vidyarthi, the readers paid the bail amount of Rs 400 to release the journalist.
In addition to its contribution to the Freedom Movement, Pratap also contributed significantly to modern journalism. Pratap was the pioneer behind the practice of maintaining separate literary pages, and sections for letters to the editor and enshrining an equity policy in the newspaper.
Source: Indian Culture Portal