Remembering Kalinath Ray: The Tribune titan who took on the British

DURING the darkest chapter of British rule, The Tribune remained solid as a rock, thanks to the bold writings of Kalinath Ray, who served as the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper for around 27 years — from December 1917 to April 1943, and then from November 1944 to November 1945. His uncompromising editorials prior to the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, notably ‘A Colossal Blunder’ and ‘Blazing Indiscretion’, were a scathing indictment of the draconian policies of Punjab’s Lieutenant Governor Michael O’Dwyer. Ray was arrested and jailed on the charge of sedition, while The Tribune’s publication was suspended for a couple of months. However, both Ray and The Tribune came back stronger than ever after his release.

Kalinath Ray was unbending and incorruptible in the pursuit of his ideals. His uncompromising editorials prior to the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, notably ‘Blazing Indiscretion’, were a scathing indictment of the policies of Punjab’s Lt Governor Michael O’Dwyer.

Advertisement

Accused of sedition, he was arrested and sent to jail. Among the tallest leaders who vouched for his innocence was Mahatma Gandhi, who wrote to all Congress units across the subcontinent to launch ‘a wide and prompt agitation’ for Ray’s release. Gandhi’s fervent appeal triggered protests from Lahore to Erode.

Gandhi in Young India

(June 11, 1919)

In my humble opinion, Babu Kalinath Ray’s case represents a manifest and cruel wrong… A careful reading of the writings in The Tribune, on which the serious charge against Babu Ray under Section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code was based, led me to think that the martial law court had allowed its judgment to be warped and clouded by the atmosphere of suspicion and distrust surrounding it.

The best proof of my statement must be the judgment and the writings on which it is based… The dominant note pervading all the issues is that the agitation against the Rowlatt legislation should be conducted with sobriety, truth and non-violence. I could nowhere trace in them ill-will, either against Englishmen in general, or against the English Government in particular. Indeed, it would be difficult to surpass The Tribune in calmness and self-restraint in the face of circumstances brought about by the Delhi affairs.

The editorial ‘Blazing Indiscretion’ is undoubtedly an indictment against Sir Michael O’Dwyer about his speech before the Punjab Legislative Council. The speech certainly contains more than one ‘blazing indiscretion’. Had Sir O’Dwyer not made inflammatory speeches, had he not belittled leaders, had he not in a most cruel manner flouted public opinion and had he not arrested Dr Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal, the history of the last two months would have been differently written. My purpose now is not to prove Sir Michael O’Dwyer’s guilt, but to prove Babu Kalinath Ray’s complete innocence, and to show that he has suffered a grievous wrong in the name of British justice, and I do not hesitate to ask Englishmen as I ask my countrymen to join me in the prayer for Babu Ray’s immediate release.

My purpose is to prove

Babu Ray’s complete innocence, and to show that he has suffered a grievous wrong in the name of British justice, and I don’t hesitate to ask Englishmen as I ask my countrymen to join me in the prayer for his immediate release. Mahatma Gandhi

Ever since my early youth, I looked upon him (Ray) as one of the senior men in Indian journalism. He had that unusual thing — a definite personality — and any paper with which he was connected reflected that personality. With that personality was joined a crusading spirit for the cause he espoused. Jawaharlal Nehru

Ray released from jail

(August 28, 1919)

Mr Kalinath Ray was released from the Lahore Central Jail yesterday morning at half past seven. He was received on coming out by Mr S.K. Mukherjee, Vakil, High Court; Lala Radhakishen, Editor of the Prakash; the Acting Editor of The Tribune and a number of other friends.

Mr Ray has received a telegram from the Servants of India Society, Poona: ‘Your undeserved and cruel sufferings bring nearer the attainment of India’s destiny.’

Mr Ray’s interview

(August 29, 1919)

Mr Ray, who came out of the Lahore Central Jail on Wednesday, was interviewed by a representative of the Associated Press.

Representative: Mr Ray, I congratulate you upon your early release.

Ray: I thank you for your congratulations, though I do not myself think that the release has been very early. I quite agree, however, that things might have been worse if it had not been for the Government of India’s intervention.

Representative: There have been some complaints in the papers regarding the denial of proper latitude to you in the matter of your defence.

Ray: I do not think any reasonable person can for a moment deny that I was not afforded proper latitude. Not only was I not allowed to be defended by counsel of my own choice, but I was not even allowed any facilities worth the name to prepare my defence myself, except for occasional visits to my cell of Kunwar Dalip Singh, the Crown counsel for the defence.

Five Crucial Questions

(December 7, 1919)

Five questions (asked by Kalinath Ray) stand out in decisive prominence on a proper analysis of General Dyer’s evidence regarding the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. These are:

1 Was the General justified in taking no step between 12.30, when he first heard that a meeting was going to take place, and 4.30, when the meeting did take place, to prevent the crowd from assembling?

2 Was he justified in opening fire without warning and without giving an opportunity to the gathering to disperse?

3 Was he justified in not stopping the firing when he found that with the very opening of fire the crowd had begun to disperse?

4 Was it necessary for him to continue, and was he justified in continuing to fire until ammunition had run short and about five hundred men had been killed and at least thrice as many men had been wounded?

5 Was he justified in leaving the wounded to their fate and taking no step to render first aid to them when he must have known that under his own orders it would be difficult for their relatives to attend to them?

Ray’s editorial on Bhagat Singh

(March 26, 1931)

Few mistakes made by the British Government in India in recent years are comparable either in their magnitude or their seriousness with its failure to commute the death sentences of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. No criminal case within living memory had made such a tremendous sensation in the country, and in no previous case had so strong and universal a demand been made for the commutation of death sentences. Never was a Government confronted by a situation in which the path of justice was more clearly or more indisputably also the path of self-interest. Never did a Government fail more signally to follow the right path.

Tribune’s tribute to Ray

(December 11, 1945)

For about half a century, Mr Ray served his beloved country with his prolific and dynamic pen. He belonged to the Old Journalistic Guard. His passing away marks almost the last stage in the fading away of that Guard. His role included the strengthening of the national struggle against the continued subjugation of India and the waging of war against the political chicanery of British imperialism. At every stage of the Indian political development, he stood shoulder to shoulder with the forces of revolution. Though the pen he wielded was a disciplined and restrained pen, it stood no nonsense from mailed fists. He fought O’Dwyerism in Punjab with exemplary courage and vigour.

From The Tribune archives