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| How respectful was Maharaja’s Govt towards newspapers critical of its functioning | | The golden age of press freedom! | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 20: At present when the press and newspapers who dare to tell the truth and hold the government accountable are hounded and horrified by the administration, History of Jammu and Kashmir is replete with the instances when Press freedom was allowed to thrive during the government of Maharaja Hari Singh.
There is an interesting anecdote about how the administration was respecting the Press institutes and was empathetic towards them. One such instance is of 1934 when Ram Chand Kak was the Prime Minister of Maharaja Hari Singh’s erstwhile state.
A newspaper namely Hamdard was being published from Srinagar. The editor of that newspaper was Prem Nath Bazaz- a renowned Kashmiri Pandit scholar. While, he was critical of the government and its policies, yet the Maharaja led government was tolerant towards the newspaper even when Monarchy and not what today is being called as ‘Democracy’ was ruling the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
This newspaper called Hamdard had a correspondent namely Abdul Aziz Shoora. He was a resident of Habba Kadal area of Srinagar. The lane wherein he was residing was called Karfali Mohalla.
While Aziz was one day leaving home for his newspaper office which was located then in Lal Chowk area- he was intercepted by the local Maharaja forces and was rigorously frisked. In spite of Aziz telling the erring troops that he was a journalist and needed to go to the office, he was made to crawl on the ground and forced to chant Maharaj ki Jai. After the episode, Aziz straight away went to his office. When asked by his editor Prem Nath Bazaz why he was late, Aziz narrated the entire scene. Angered by such action, Bazaz dedicated a prominent space of his newspaper’s front page to this instant. He criticized the government over harassing the journalists and intimidating them for no reason. The next day when the news came in the paper, Aziz- the young reporter of the newspaper got a summons from Prime Minister Ram Chand Kak.
Forces were dispatched to his house to escort the young reporter to the Prime Minister’s office. Hearing that he was being summoned, the young reporter went into hiding. His family was later persuaded and assured that no harm shall be caused to him and that he just needs to meet the Prime Minister. After the assurance, he was taken to the Prime Minister’s office. Upon entering the chamber, Aziz was welcomed by Prime Minister Ram Chand Kak and told him that he had heard about the ill-treatment meted out to him by his personnel. “I have called you here so that I could apologize to you in person and assure you that we hold journalism in high esteem. I also assure you that this will not happen again,” Prime Minister told the young reporter.
One could get a glimpse of the tolerant administration of Maharaja towards the press and at present when the government claims to have been strengthening democracy at grassroots, the newspapers are hounded. The recent findings of the Press council of India could also serve as an eye-opener. Rest they say is history. |
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