JALANDHAR: Journalists writer and intellectual dharna outside the Deputy ‘Commissioner’s office here on Monday to protest against the ‘unannounced censorship imposed con newspapers published from (Chandigarh and Jalandhar. Earlier, the protesters walked in a procession from the Deputy Commissioner’s office raising slogans against the Punjab government.

Mr Baljinder Singh managing editor the daily Ajit led the procession Prominent among the participants were Mr Parkash Singh Majitha, acting presi Akal Dal (B), Mr Manjit Calcutta, former secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Mr Gurdip Singh managing editor, “Aj Di ‘Awaz, Mr Jagit Singh Dardi editor, “Chhardi Kala”, Mr. Shingara

Singh Bhullar, assistant editor, “Punjabi Tribune”

Press Censorship

Condemned

Mr Suraj Singh Thekedar, senior ‘Akali Dal leader, Mr Justice Singh Bains, chairman, Punjab Human Rights Organization (PHRO). Mr Jagdev Singh Jassowal, president Punjabi Kala ‘Vancha, Mr Harminder Singh Gill and Mr Sarbjit Singh Jammu, both general secretaries of the AISSF (Manjit Singh),

‘Addressing the protesters, Mr Barjinder Singh condemned the government for muzzling the press in Punjab and Chandigarh, He said the government was “misusing” its liability pros tuition the newspapers taking a pro Punjab stand to carry only the government version of the news items”. The ‘publication of reaction of the political parties was not allowed and even advertisements were being ‘censored, he added.

‘Mr Barjinder Singh said copies of various papers had been seized ‘without any reason being given Government officials accompanied by policeman entered the newspaper offices, and forcibly stopped the printing press.

‘We have come to stage a dharma to lodge our protest and also to give shock treatment to the state government”, Mr Barjinder Singh said adding that the government should know that the Punjab press had lived through challenging times and had played an important role in the freedom struggle, “if the government thinks we will bond under pressure, that would be a wrong calculation” headed, ‘The press, Mr Barjinder Singh said, had to play an independent role in safeguarding democracy.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 28, 1992