P.M. MISSES AN OPPORTUNITY
Two days back the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh released a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Puran Chandra Gupta, founder of Dainik Jagaran, a leading Hindi daily of the country. The occasion: January 2, 2012 was the late journalist’s birth centenary.
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Asserting that freedom of the press was a must for the growth of Indian democracy, the P.M. asked media organizations to devise a mechanism to promote objectivity and curb sensationalism. “In my opinionâ€, Dr. Manmohan Singh said, “there is a general consensus in our country that no outside control should be imposed on the mediaâ€
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The Prime Minister also launched on the occasion a biography of Puran Chandra Gupta.
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This biography recounts how Puran Chandra was jailed for resisting the Emergency. When on June 26, 1975 Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi announced promulgation of the Emergency and imposition of censorship on the press, no paper was allowed to publish any news about the arrest of leaders, or where they had been imprisoned.
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In the book released by Dr. Manmohan Singh last week, I saw a reproduction of the front page of Jagaran, June 27, 1975. The banner headline was: Rashtriya Aapat Sthiti Ghoshit, Sabhi Vipakshi Neta Band. Photographs of eight opposition leaders – Charan Singh, A.B. Vajpayee, Jaya Prakash Narain, Morarji Desai, L.K. Advani, Piloo Mody, Raj Narain and Chandra Shekhar were shown alongside this front page report. Also shown was a blank editorial column with the caption “A New Democracy?â€
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To the best of my recollection, no other paper was able to publish a news report of this kind and have it circulated among readers.
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I do not know if the P.M. had occasion to glance through this book, or if any one had mentioned to him that the Jagaran editors were arrested because they had opposed the Emergency firmly. If he had been briefed about all this, he would have done a signal service to democracy if he had referred to the facts in his laudatory references to the Jagaran founder. By omitting to do so, he has really missed an opportunity to distance himself from the worst assault inflicted on press freedom in the history of independent India ! .
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The Shah Commission which was set up by the Morarji Bhai Government to probe the excesses committed during the Emergency mentions that quotations from Geeta and from Gandhi were disallowed, and excised by the censors.
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The Shah Commission examined V.C. Shukla, Information & Broadcasting Minister, during the Emergency. The Commission Report says on page 38 of Interim Report :
 
 “Shri Shukla said that the reasons why quotations were disallowed were that that these quotations which were made with reference to the British Raj were now taken out of context, would create misunderstandings and therefore they should be avoided.
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Newspapers were not even allowed to keep the editorial columns blank. According to Shri Shukla if the editorial space was left blank this signified protest and according to the policy of the Government it was not proposed to allow any protest to be signified in that manner. He further clarified that space kept blank in a newspaper was a protest against the emergency. Therefore, it was unlawful and therefore, the Government was entitled to say that it should not be left blank. Both Shri Raj Mohan Gandhi and Shri Nikhil Chakravarty felt that Government’s objection to editors leaving space blank in the newspapers was because they wanted to give an impression that there was no censorship in the country.â€
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TAILPIECE
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Going through the Shah Commission Report I find that Puran Chand Gupta who was also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PTI appeared before the Commission and gave scathing testimony against Government’s harassment of the media during the Emergency.
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P.C. Gupta alleged that pressure was put on PTI and UNI who were running their agencies independently of the Samachar News Agency launched by the Government of India. This was done
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-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â by cutting off teleprinter lines,
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â by non-payment of All India Radio dues,
-          by adverse publicity given in the press regarding their allegedly outstanding dues.
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The commission has recorded the Information & Broadcasting Minister’s candid explanation thus:
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“Shri V.C. Shukla admitted that from the time Cabinet directed him to try ‘other methods’ on December 13, 1975 to the time they bore fruit on January 24, 1976, the agencies were compelled, induced or, persuaded by so-called ‘other methods’ to join in the scheme of merger (with Samachar).â€
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L.K. Advani
New Delhi
January 5, 2012
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January 5th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Dear Sir,
After induction of Babu Singh Kushwaha and Badshah Singh into BJP, Might I suggest list of next inductions into BJP:
A Raja, Kalmadi, Afzal Guru, Ajmal Kasab…
As per news report 90% of BJP top leadership (including youeself) are against induction of BS Kushwaha and Badshah Singh. Still no one in your party can take any action against those who facilitated this outrageous induction. And you accuse Shri Manmohan Singh of being a weak PM. It’s very sad and shameful.
January 7th, 2012 at 10:00 pm
Sir,
In the context of electoral politics, number of seats won by a political party is of prime significance. Today, BJP is the primary opposition party because it has won more seats than any other opposition party and NOT because its the most clean looking party.
Congress fielded the brother of Sajjan Kumar, compensated Jagdish Tytler, Digvijay singh praised Kalmadi, Sanjay Singh (accused in the murder of Syed Modi) is an important member of coterie & there are many criminals in the UP list of Congress. If you look at SP and BSP, there are much worse.
BJP should also be realistic in contemporary politics, and not be a prey to an image. Nitish Kumar had fielded a lot of criminals but still his win has led to a great recovery of Bihar. So, for a long term recovery of BJP in UP and its intention to bring various sections together, please accept Babu Singh Kushwaha as a tactical asset, in a period of transition.
January 10th, 2012 at 9:19 pm
IF ONLY YOU READ THIS
Dear Sir.
I was a militant supporter of BJP from the day i reached adolescence.
i am btw 30 that means i am voting for the past 12 years and every time i have voted for the BJP.
but my faith has been shaken, with you on the verge of retirement, the party which you co-founded with ABV is compromising with the very principles it was founded on.
And i am not talking about Kushwaha.
I am talking about the new found policy of Muslim Appeasement which the BJP now practice, it stands against the pseudo- secularism which you have been fighting for decades.
Yes i am talking about Salman Rushdie
Sir we are no Iran, pakistan, Bangladesh,
We are the Homeland of the Hindus, the peaceful race.
Why should we stop him, or even consider the prospect of doing so.
Sir,
you are now apeasing muslims
and i am sorry that you have pushed me out of the party, and pls do not think that i am alone.
I have with me the people who were the core supporters of the BJP. may be few.
January 13th, 2012 at 11:38 pm
sir
why not projected the strong leader for up chief minister and no development plan has been issued and debated expect to critisize the congress and justifing kushwaha I think u have already conceded the defeat. It is not good for the national level party. And ur party not mature the seat sharing with any like minded parties like bjd in orrisa and jdu in up. I think you are adopting the congress path. And people you assign the duty for seat sharing not took it serioulsy like Bjd ur poineer mp made spoil sprot and dmk at that time u changed seats
January 16th, 2012 at 11:31 am
Sir
To win this election I have suggetions for BJP:
1. Declare Ms. Uma Bharti as a CM condidate.
i) She has clean image.
ii) She is a woman & from backward community.
iii) Due to her hindutva image forward cast will also support her.
iv) She is pro-active and has the experiance of winning MP state election.
2. Make Corruption and Development as main election issues.
3. Bring Mr. Narendra Modi, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Dr. Raman Singh, Mr. Sushil Modi to compaign.
4. Promise for Strong Lokayukta on Utarakhand model.
5. Exploit muslim reservation to get support of Backward cast.
6. Use Batala House issue to expose Congress & Mulayam’s appeasement police and polarize hindu in favour of BJP.
7. Utilize Baba Ram Dev to create a wave against Corruption & Black Money.
8. Depute some leaders in Delhi as well as in UP to utilize media.
BEST OF LUCK.
January 21st, 2012 at 11:56 am
Respected Sir,
Thanks for making Ms. Uma Bhartijee a condidate from UP. Please declared her as a future CM of UP also. It will boost the morale of cadre in UP. But I am sad to raed in Panjab Kesari(20 Jan) that you are not going to compaign in UP. I humbly request you to take active participation in assembly elections. Make corruption and Development a strong issue. There are around 20% strong voters including young generation who are more concern about corruption and development than any cast or religious issues. Please do not ignore this issues.Please, also bring Narenderjee, Shivrajjee, Ramanjee and Shushiljee for compaigning in UP. I also request to all the readers of this blog to convey this massage to BJP President and other leaders, if they find it relevent.
BEST OF LUCK.