Ayodhya region editor reputed for 'promoting' communal harmony despite threats

By Bharat Dogra*

Sheetla Singh, the great Hindi editor from Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, breathed his last on May 16.

He was 93, and was on duty till the last day in his editorial office when he collapsed.

Bringing out a small cooperative newspaper is not easy in the best of times, but it becomes more difficult when the editor has a tendency to frequently incur the wrath of the most powerful persons. Adding an important local factor, this task becomes even more difficult when the newspaper is coming out from Faizabad, located just near Ayodhya, and when the editor is committed to standing up for communal harmony even in times of worst communal tensions.

Despite all these difficulties, if Sheetla Singh and his colleagues have been able to bring out Jan Morcha newspaper from 1958 to 2023 for 65 years, then it is a tribute to their resilience, hard work, courage and close connect with people.

It was in 1958 that two left-oriented journalists and activists, Sheetla Singh (then 28 years old) and Hargobind were able to fulfill their dream of starting this newspaper, with the initial investment being contributed by the lifetime savings of Hargobind amounting to Rs 75. In 1963 Hargobind asked Sheetla Singh to be the editor and Sheetla Singh has been in the editor’s chair for the last 60 years.
During this period of 65 years Jan Morcha has become one of the few local newspapers to acquire a national reputation. As the Ayodhya region had seen so much happening which was of national significance, Jan Morcha became the most sought after newspaper for keeping in touch with the affairs of this region.

Sheetla Singh did not hesitate to go out of his way, incurring lot of risk by helping communal harmony activists

Jan Morcha acquired and maintained its reputation of a people-centric approach to various issues and happenings. On issues of most urgency for this region Jan Morcha always remained committed to communal harmony and when occasion demanded, Sheetla Singh did not hesitate to go out of his way and incurred a lot of risk by helping communal harmony activists and investigations to uncover the truth of issues and happening which needed to be reported accurately. If for such stand and commitment he and his colleagues faced threats, well, they were willing to live with these.
Sheetla Singh also contributed much to obtaining better working conditions for journalists and newspaper employees at a wider level. He was the President of the UP Working Journalists Union as well as member of various wage boards.
He was for four terms a member of the Press Council of India. He will also be remembered for contributing to the discussions and debates on institutional conditions in which journalists and editors can better contribute to society and can hope to function in more free conditions, free not just from government interference but also from big business interests.
It is an amazing and impressive achievement that Jan Morcha has been able to continue regularly for such a long time in adverse conditions, having about 50 colleagues working full-time today, apart from those who serve it in part-time positions. This newspaper will miss the great and inspiring leadership of Sheetla Singh, but the best tribute to him will be for this newspaper, and others like this, to continue the march and go from strength to strength.

---

*Has contributed articles and reports on issues of high social relevance for a long time

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog