Pro-people Journalism Not Possible Without Ideology

Let us today pay our homage to Hem Chandra Pandey who has joined the illustrious ranks of media activists starting from John Reed, Edgar Snow, Jack Belden, Harish Mukherjee, Brahmabandob Upadhyaya to Saroj Dutta and various other anonymous conscientious reporters functioning courageously in distant corners of our country!!!”

When Sumanta Bannerjee, noted human rights activist and author of book on Naxal history ‘In the wake of Naxalbari’, commented these words on the first death anniversary of Hem Chandra Pandey, people were able to see Hem in a new light. Sumanta was delivering the inaugural talk at the Hem Chandra Pandey Memorial Lecture series in a packed Gandhi Peace Foundation hall, Delhi.
Sumanta drew through worldly examples to show the relation between Journalism and Activism and established that it is imperative for a journalist to be an activist to take up people’s causes and their side. Sumanta also raised the issue of the slow death of trade unions of journalists. He emphasized that journalist unions have to be strong to practice people oriented journalism. He also called for the setting of 3rd Press Commission to discuss today’s news sphere and formulate new policies accordingly.
A number of young journalists, students, professors, writers, artists, filmmakers, human right activists and political workers were present on the occasion. Such a huge presence of left-democratic forces in a metro like Delhi is generally not a common sight. In the cause of Hem people heard the voice and ideas of septuagenarian writer Sumanta Banerjee who was associated with Statesman and Economic and Political Weekly for four decades. Sumanta Bannerjee has been a part of countless fact finding committees on human rights violations and on this occasion reminded that Delhi and other metro based journalists are not as exploited as much as their counterparts in smaller cities and regions. He stressed that the issues of such journalists should also be raised at larger platforms.
On this occasion well know writer and editor of Hans Rajendra Yadav released a book Vichardhara Wala Patrakar: Hem Chandra Pandey (A Journalist with an Ideology: Hem Chandra Pandey) edited by Bhupen Singh. In his brief speech, Rajendra Yadav saluated Hem’s sacrifice and expressed concern at the deteriorating state of the nation. He said that there is a continued emergency in the country and any one amongst us could be the next Hem. He also raised the question that Marxist ideology is helpful in the fight against injustice, but why does justice loving Marxists also turn repressive when they come to power?
The book release and lecture by Sumanta was followed by a lively discussion. Arundhati Roy, who has always stood up in the fight for justice, said that along with Hem we should also remember Azad as he was killed by the state to stall the peace talks with the Naxals. She compared the state of Indian nation with Pakistan. She said that India makes a mockery of weak democracy in Pakistan and their consistent military intervention in government, but questions should be raised if the situations are really better in India? She decried the government policy of militarization in the interest of corporates. She also objected to the malaise of giving poor people’s land to the corporate in the name of development. Her speech lifted the veil over our democracy which actually is a mechanism of repression.
Poet Manglesh Dabral also advocated for pro people ideology in today’s journalism. He said that a thought-less scenario is being created in the era of liberalization that has enabled the ideology of market to fulfill its interests. He said that it is not possible to create a big resistance without bringing all the small and big struggles together. He also said that no conscientious person can remain neutral.
Journalist and poet Neelabh said that India has become a police state. Along with the journalists he also lambasted those writers who are perennially concerned in creating self pleasing writings. Media analyst Anand Pradhan expressed concern that the meaning of Freedom of Press has been hijacked by media owners as their own freedom and license to do what they want. He said that it is not possible to improve the condition of media without having proper journalists unions and organizations.
Filmmaker Sanjay Kak said that we should also try to strategically use mainstream media when we try to establish and strengthen alternative media. Novelist and editor of Samayantar Pankaj Bisht remembered the times he spent with Hem and said that he was a committed journalist and we need many more like him. Editor of Teesri Duniya Anand Swaroop Verma said that we need to develop alternate information mechanism parallel to the existing mainstream journalism. He said that the leftover journalist union’s selfish and autocratic tendencies are a big obstacle for pro people journalism. Poet and journalist Pankaj Singh also raised the issues and problems facing those journalists who raise their voice for the common people. He gave examples of the number of corporate crimes plaguing the nation.
Hem’s life partner Babita Upreti and brother Rajiv Pandey were also present on the occasion of his first death anniversary. Hem’s friend from student days and like minded journalists have formed Hem Chandra Pandey Memorial Committee. The large gathering at this lecture organized by the committee was a proof that authorities will have to respond to the question why this voice against injustice was silenced. This gathering at the Gandhi Peace Foundation was not like any other sponsored seminar. People who respect the right of voice to dissent were present in large numbers by their own will. Hem Memorial Committee had appealed that your presence is resistance! And that resistance was strongly felt on the 2nd of July.
(Released by Bhupen Singh on behalf of Hem Chandra Pandey Memorial Committee).