Explanation:

Correct Option: (b) Explanation:  Statement 1 is incorrect: The fi rst Licensing Regulations of 1823 were passed under acting governor-general, John Adams. Development of Press in 19th Century India  The British had introduced the printing press in India and thus initiated the development of the modem press.  The press had gradually become a major weapon of the nationalist movement.  The acting governor-general, John Adams had reactionary views against the press and enacted Licensing Regulations, 1823.  According to these regulations, starting or using a press without a licence was a penal offence.   These restrictions were directed chiefl y against Indian language newspapers or those edited by Indians.  Rammohan Roy’s Mirat-ul-Akbar had to stop publication.  The Indian press was freed of restrictions by Charles Metcalfe in 1835 and earned the title of “liberator of the Indian press”.  The Vernacular Press Act (VPA) of 1878 of Lord Lytton (1876-1880) was designed to ‘better control’ the vernacular press and effectively punish and repress seditious writing.  The Act came to be nicknamed “the gagging Act” as this Act discriminated between English and vernacular press and provided no right of appeal against the government action.  Under this, proceedings were instituted against Som Prakash, Bharat Mihir, Dacca Prakash and Samachar.  Incidentally, the Amrita Bazar Patrika of Motilal Ghosh turned overnight into an English newspaper to escape the VPA.  There was strong opposition to the Act and fi nally, Ripon repealed it in 1882.  In 1883, Surendranath Banerjea became the fi rst Indian journalist to be imprisoned. Topic: Modern History Sub-Topic: British Policies after Revolt of 1857