CHANDIGARH: The Panthic Committee has warned that it would fight tooth and nail attempt by the.

Delhi darbar to impose press censorship in Punjab, While on the other hand militant organisations would give the government a befitting reply if it made any attempt to deprive the residents of the land of Khalistan of their right to information about the struggle launched by the militants, the Panthic Committee would make it a national issue.

The committee has made it clear that if the government tried to project its own point of view only, the five militant organisations would retaliate by imposing complete censorship which would mean that no newspaper would be allowed to be published from the state. Nor would any paper published from outside be allowed in the state. Additionally, the radio and Doordarshan stations would also be shut down. Not only has this had the committee warned special sacrifice squads will destroy the entire communication system of the Indian Government in the state.

Is it not a broadminded gesture on the part of the militants to allow disinformation spread by the government about the activities of the militants to reach the people, the committee said in a poser? It has made it clear that it would not tolerate the spread of disinformation while the truths about the militants’ activities was being suppressed. It has warned the government to take a decision on press censorship after careful thought so that it does have to face an embarrassing situation by going back on its decision.

The press note has said that newspaper offices would be forced to close since no senior official of the government would be party to the censorship decision. Nor would he depute any of his juniors to go to newspaper offices as censors. Radio and Doordarshan staff would not cooperate with the authorities at all and a Jammu and Kashmir type situation would be obtained where there would be no division between the senior officers and the masses. The government may try to send police officials as censors but they would also refuse to do this duty. The committee hopes. Only such papers would come out which would not be “bothered at all” about the welfare of their employees, both journalists and non-journalists, and their agents the note has warned.

The committee has commended the action of Mr Nair secretary public relations department, in proceeding on leave and refusing to issue press notes in Hindi and English. It has warned that it would take suitable action against any fresh bid to issue press notes in Hindi and English. It has stated that no press notes in Hindi are issued in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. It has warned that nobody stopped those who had no love for Punjabi from leaving the state. There is no need to issue handouts in Hindi and English it said adding that it should now do penance for having betrayed the cause of their mother tongue for so long.

If the papers published in languages other than Punjabi have to be critical of the militant’s activities why should Punjabi papers be not given the 90% of the total ads which other papers were getting now, the committee asked.

The committee has said that it had no objection to non-Punjabi papers being allowed in the state. But it has made it clear that these will not be allowed in schools, colleges, hostels and libraries at government expense. The committee has no objection if somebody gets these papers at one’s own expense. The Committee only wants to save expenditure on Hindi papers so that Punjabi papers could also come out like English dailies with 2025 pages. The golden days are not far off when people would be proud of their mother tongue. The day we feel that the cultural domination of Hindi on our culture and religion is no more we will not hesitate in subscribing to Hindi papers and issuing them advertisements. The publishers of Hindi papers must wait till then.

‘The committee has appealed to the people not to link language with religion. This has been happening for a long time and the committee would not allow it any longer. Punjabis are already alive to this cause like the people of Tamil Nadu, It has warned that it would resort to strict measures to enforce Punjabi in the state like Tamil in Tamil Nadu, the committee said. The signatories to the press note include Bhai Wadhawa Singh, Bhai Sohan Singh, Bhai Mehal Singh and Bhai Satinderpal Singh, all members of the Panthic Committee.

Vijay Karan heads CBI

NEW DELHI:.N Seshan member of planning commission has been appointed chief election commissioner. He succeeds Peri Sastri who died recently.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 21, 1990