CHANDIGARH: India put informal restrictions on newspapers to report Sikhs protest against what is widely being described as electoral farce in Punjab, Electronic media such as television and radio is a complete government monopoly and are in any cease under its thumb.
The modus operandi of government authorities is to send executive magistrates to newspaper offices at night to have a quick look at what is printed in first edition. While “friendly” newspapers are asked to delete what the magistrates regard as “objectionable” material proposed to be printed, the “other newspapers” are directed immediately after bundles come out of the press not to dis tribute the copies. Thus one set of newspapers are allowed to carry blank spaces, if they so insist on to show that they are under governments pressure, the others have to suffer financial losses as thousands of copies go waste. In the first category are The Tribune and its allied publications. In the second category are Ajit and Aj di Awaz,
The material considered objectionable pertains in the first instance, to statements issued by
Panthic Committees and their allied organizations. In the second instance fall the statements by pro boycott Akali groups calling upon the Sikhs to keep away from elections.
Ajit editor Barjinder Singh is in the forefront protesting against frequent midnight knocks by magistrates and security forces at his Jalandhar office. He led a big protest demonstration in front of the deputy commissioner’s office on February 17. Indian Express editor Prabhu Chawla came out with a front page piece pledging in the Goonka tradition “Express will fight censorship”. Chawla also asked the newspapers pro establishment resident editor at Chandigarh, Prom Kumar, to write protest letter to the governor of Punjab which Kumar dutifully did on February 16.
Candidates in Chandigarh appreciate Chawla sand Barjinders stand resisting government pressures, they view with skepticism the protestations by editors like V.N. Narayan and Prom Kumar who are known to be close to every Sikh baiting governor.
While the Editors Guild of India and certain journalists organizations of Chandigarh and Deli issued statements criticizing the censorship in Punjab, the Press Council of India maintained silence. The council is a statutory organization entrusted with the task of working for freedom of the Press and maintaining standards of writing, It is headed by R.S Sarkaria, a pre establishment Sikh retired judge. He recently got extension of tenure from the Indian government.
It is believed that pre poll censorship on the media in Punjab was a part of Indias management of the election in the state and had full approval of the Prime Minister as well as the home minister. Yet, when the latter came to Chandigarh last week and was specifically asked for reasons why the media had to undergo censorship, he denied any such restrictions, Punjab governor Surinder Nath tried to “correct” the home minister saying that there existed an “old arrangement” introduced by his predecessor, military governor Malhotra, whereby the Press was under obligation not to publicize the militants views. Home Minister Chavan obliquely looked at a senior officer evidently wondering at the governor’s innocence. For, Chavan had told lie deliberately which could be undone after the election is over.
When Indian Express announced its resolve to fight censorship and several journalist organizations issued critical statements, the home minister explained his position, He sought to given an impression that while he was in favour of the Press observing “self-restraint”, the Punjab governor expressed the opposite view. Neatly, the Indian home minister put the blame on the poor Punjab governor for what he may not even be aware of.
Those in the Knew of Delhi’s ways state that important decisions are taken by the so called Prime Ministers House (Indian Constitution does not recognize any such House. But senior bureaverats close to the Prime Minister have become so powerful that they insist on the use of this term to show their own importance). These decisions are executed through Chief Secretary Tejinder Khanna. The governor is taken in confidence when a certain public responsibility for an action has to be thrown a shoulder.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 28, 1992
