भारतीय वृत्तपत्र स्वातंत्र्याचा मुक्तिदाता कोण होता ?

The correct answer is Option A (Charles Metcalfe).

Key Points:
• Liberator of the Indian Press - Sir Charles Metcalfe:
• Sir Charles Theophilus Metcalfe served as the Governor-General of India for a brief tenure from 1835 to 1836.
• In 1835, he repealed the draconian Licensing Regulations Act of 1823 (John Adam's Press Ordinance), which had severely curtailed press freedom in India (and led to the closure of Ram Mohan Roy's Mirat-ul-Akbar).
• Metcalfe enacted the famous Press Act of 1835 (popularly known as the Metcalfe Act), which required publishers merely to register their printing premises and declaration of ownership.
• This liberal reform unleashed unprecedented growth in vernacular and English newspapers across India, earning him the permanent historical title 'Liberator of the Indian Press'.
• Key Takeaway: Sir Charles Metcalfe is celebrated as the 'Liberator of Indian Press' for repealing the restrictive 1823 press regulations in 1835.