Kesari is an Indian Marathi language newspaper which was founded on 4 January 1881 by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a self-rule activist in the Indian independence movement. Through Kesari, Tilak criticised British colonial policies, while promoting both Hindu nationalism and Hindu–Muslim unity. He was twice tried and imprisoned for sedition, in 1897 and 1908, for articles deemed inflammatory. Between 1924 and 1935, Kesari regularly published articles and editorials supporting Italian fascism, Benito Mussolini, and fascist Italy. By the 1940s, Kesari had become the newspaper of the Hindu Mahasabha, a far-right Hindutva political party, and of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindutva paramilitary organisation.
Contents
History
Origins
Kesari was established on 4 January 1881 by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a self-rule activist in the Indian independence movement. One of two weekly newspapers established by Tilak, Kesari was published in the Marathi language, while its counterpart, Mahratta, was published in English. Tilak wrote several articles in Kesari, on issues such as land tenure and revenue, war expenditure, high salaries paid to British officials, and the colonial exploitation of Indian resources. A Hindu nationalist who nevertheless supported Hindu-Muslim unity, Tilak sought to create a Hindu public sphere. Many Kesari editorials described how this sphere was formed and mobilised through religious events, in an attempt to create a shared and cohesive national culture.
In 1897, Tilak was tried and imprisoned for sedition on the basis of views he had expressed in Kesari. The prosecution was triggered by his violent rhetoric in relation to the assassination of two plague officials, W. C. Rand and Charles Ayerst; the assassinations had occurred following the Bombay plague epidemic, after which Tilak had counselled the "murder of Europeans". In 1908, Tilak was again tried and imprisoned for sedition, when his articles in Kesari defended the Muzaffarpur bombings which had led to the Alipore bomb case. On both occasions of his imprisonment, Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar assumed the role of editor.
At one time such oppression gave rise to small insurrections in England; and it was only when the people of that country rose in rebellion, and, after dethroning the King, introduced constitutional rule that no occasion was left for them to resort to violent means for effecting administrative reform.
Support of Italian fascism
From 1924 to 1935, Kesari regularly published articles and editorials in support of Italian fascism, Benito Mussolini, and fascist Italy. Across a series of editorials, the newspaper depicted Italy's transition from a liberal government to a fascist dictatorship as a move from anarchy to order. Mussolini's political reforms, particularly the shift from elected members of parliament to nominated ones and the substitution of parliament itself with the Grand Council of Fascism, were also praised considerably.
D. V. Tahmankar, the London correspondent of Kesari, was a known admirer of Mussolini. In 1927, he published a biography entitled 'Muslini ani Fashismo' (lit. 'Mussolini and Fascism'). The book detailed the organisation of the fascist state, the fascist social system, the fascist ideology, and Italy's recent history. The entirety of the final chapter was dedicated to fascist society and its institutions, notably the youth organisations. A lengthy Kesari article, entitled 'Italy and the Young Generations' and published on 13 August 1929, claimed that Italy's youth had taken over the leadership of the country from the older generations, resulting in what it described as a "fast ascent of Italy in every field". The discipline attributed to the Italian youth was explained as the product of strong and widespread religious sentiments, close attachment to the family, and respect for traditional values; these values were defined through the rejection of divorce and those who remained unmarried, and the denial of women’s right to vote, with women depicted as having no role beyond the home.
Association with Hindutva
By the 1940s, Kesari had become associated with the Hindutva movement, serving as the newspaper of both the Hindu Mahasabha, a far-right Hindutva political party, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindutva paramilitary organisation.
Management
Kesari is owned and managed by the Kesari Mahratta Trust, established on the same day as the newspaper and run by Tilak's family. The trust instituted the Lokmanya Tilak National Award for Excellence in Journalism, first awarded to Vir Sanghvi on 4 January 2009.