 |
| The statement issued by Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR) Punjab, which was carried on Page Link: http://epaper.punjabitribuneonline.com/59362/Punjabi-Tribune/PT_29_September_2012#page/4/1 |
  |
| The statement issued by around 50 top scholars, writers, academicians and social scientists appeared on page 3 of Hindustan Times on September 22, (above), the statement issued by publishers and 22 mass organisations appeared page 6 of Hindustan Times on September 23 |
Now, censorship and repression against editors and publishers in Punjab:
There are protests across civil society by eminent writers, publishers,
intellectuals and mass organisations. Check this out on Day & Night News Prime Debate: http://www.dayandnightnews.com/2012/09/watch-prime-debate-publishers-booked/
September 23
http://epaper.punjabitribuneonline.com/58302/Punjabi-Tribune/PT_23_September_2012#page/5/2
Arrests over printing Rajab Ali’s text draw publishers’ ire
Vivek Gupta
Tribune News Service
Vivek Gupta
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 22
The arrest of two publishers and as many book editors by the state police for reproducing mid-20th century text of famous Punjabi folk poet Babu Rajab Ali has created a flutter in the state's publishing industry. Many publishers said if the stand of the police remained unchanged, they would have to stop publishing the historical Punjabi literature.
The arrest of two publishers and as many book editors by the state police for reproducing mid-20th century text of famous Punjabi folk poet Babu Rajab Ali has created a flutter in the state's publishing industry. Many publishers said if the stand of the police remained unchanged, they would have to stop publishing the historical Punjabi literature.
Chandigarh-based publisher
Harish Jain said the Punjabi literary works of the last four centuries,
including those of poets like Shah Hussain, Bulle Shah, Bhai Gurdas,
Waris Shah and Dhani Ram Chatrik, contained similar references of castes
as found in Rajab Ali's poetry.
Delhi-based
National Book Shop's Rajinder Singh said this move would affect
research work of universities and literary academies in Punjab and
Delhi. Jalandhar-based eight book publishers in their joint statement
today flayed the Punjab police's move to arrest publishers and book
editors and demanded their immediate release.
Kesar
Singh, Punj Aab Publication, Jalandhar, said such acts pose a serious
threat to the publication business. "Fearing similar action, no
publisher will like to publish historical literature in future," he
said.
Sukhdev Singh,
secretary, Punjabi Sahit Academy, and head of Punjabi Department, Panjab
University, said the text of these legendary poets was part of the
syllabus in colleges and universities. The move would affect the overall
education system, he said.
Dr
Harish Puri, Ludhiana-based historian, questioned: "How can you remove
objectionable words from Waris Shah's 'Heer', which has been published
over thousand times?" "One has no right to tinker with the historical
works. The matter must be handled judiciously," he said.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120923/punjab.htm#8
Publishers, editors jailed: 22 organisations threaten agitation
HT Correspondents, Hindustan Times
Chandigarh/Jalandhar, September 22, 2012
Angered by the arrest of some publishers and editors over printing the late writer Babu Rajab Ali's poetry carrying caste-denoting words, 22 organisations of students, peasants, Dalit activists, writers, rationalists and agricultural labourers on Saturday threatened an agitation if the case was not dropped.
"The arrest is not an attack on freedom of two individuals but against each organisation, each pen, each writer, each columnist and each language," said the organisations, which included Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan, Krantikari and Dakaunda), Punjab Kisan Sabha, Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Mazdoor Mukti Morcha, Pendu Mazdoor Union (Mishaal), Kirti Mazdoor Union, Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union, Dehati Mazdoor Sabha, Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR), Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, Punjab Sahit Sabha, Tarksheel Society, Bharat, Tarksheel Society, Punjab, Inqulabi Kender, Lok Morcha, Pragatisheel Istri Sabha, Panjab Lok Sabhiyacharak Manch and Radical People's Forum, Punjab.
They said these publishers are known for standing by the masses in struggles against anti-people policies of the government. "Everybody knows that these books were just reproduced… were written decades back. The entire classical poetry of early 20th century contains references to castes."
"We warn the state government to release the arrested publishers and editors; otherwise the reply of this act will be given on the roads like in the past," they said. arious publishers also condemned the arrests in a release issued from Jalandhar.
They demanded that cases filed against the publishers and editors under the SC/ST Act be cancelled. Signatories included Baba Bujha Singh Parkashan, Banga; Panj Aab Parkashan, Jalandhar; Dildeep Parkashan, Samrala; Balraj Sahni Parkashan, Bathinda; Jagriti Parkashan, Samrala; People's Forum, Bargarhi; Chetna Parkashan, Ludhiana, and Chintan Parkashan, Ludhiana. They said the publishers arrested were "progressive thought groups" who have been working for last many to spread revolutionary thoughts by publishing various books and magazines.
The publishers said that if anyone published old works containing traditional caste names, that did not mean that the publisher had the intention to hurt the feelings of any community.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punjab/Chandigarh/Publishers-editors-jailed-22-organisations-threaten-agitation/SP-Article1-934134.aspx
Union to stage protest against arrest of publishers,editors of Babu Rajab Ali poetry
Published September 22, 2012 | 1:14 pm
SAANJ NEWSChandigarh: Some publishers and editors have been arrested under the SC/ST Act over printing the late writer Babu Rajab Ali’s poetry carrying caste-denoting words.
Irked by their arrest, various organisations of students, peasants, Dalit activists, writers, rationalists and agricultural labourers have threatened to launch a stir.
Amit Mittar of Tark Bharti Parkashan, Barnala, Ashok Garg of Sangam, Samana, and editors Jagjeet Singh Sahoke from Moga and Swatantar from Samana were arrested by the Punjab police.
Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan, Krantikari and Dakaunda), Punjab Kisan Sabha, Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Mazdoor Mukti Morcha, Pendu Mazdoor Union (Mishaal), Kirti Mazdoor Union, Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union, Dehati Mazdoor Sabha, Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR), Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, Punjab Sahit Sabha, Tarksheel Society, Bharat, Tarksheel Society, Punjab, Inqulabi Kender, Lok Morcha, Pragatisheel Istri Sabha have announced to lodge a protest in this regard.
The protestors say they have only reproduced old work and there is nothing new in that.
http://news.saanj.net/punjab-news/union-to-stage-protest-against-arrest-of-publisherseditors-of-babu-rajab-ali-poetry/
September 22
THE TRIBUNE
Furore over arrests for publishing Punjabi folk poet Rajab
Ali’s text
Vivek Gupta/TNS
Chandigarh, September 21
The arrest of two publishers and as many book editors by the
Punjab Police for reproducing mid-20th century text of famous Punjabi folk poet
Babu Rajab Ali has led to much hue and cry in the state's literary circle. The
development has also raked a debate about sanctity of the historical text.
Born in Moga district in 1894, Babu Rajab Ali was a popular
poet of the Malwa region. Still remembered for his 'chhandd-band' Punjabi
poetry called 'Kavishri' and 'Qissas' like Heer Ranjha, Dulla Bhatti, Mirza
Sahiban and Bhagat Singh, he migrated to Pakistan post-Partition. He passed
away in 1979.
Published in the past even by the state government's Punjabi
Language Department, apart from other publishers, his work, however, is being
dubbed "objectionable" now.
Last Saturday, the police arrested Barnala-based publisher
Amit Mittar and editor Jagjeet Singh Sahoke for publishing and editing Rajab
Ali's collection of poetry 'Gatha Surmean Di' and another Samana-based
publisher Ashok Garg and book editor Swatantar Singh for their book 'Anokha
Rajab Ali'. They were arrested under Section 153-A of the IPC and Section 3(10)
of the SC/ST Act for allegedly publishing books that comprised text having
objectionable words against the minority/Dalit community.
Punjabi writers and academicians, however, have questioned
the move. Rajinder Pal Singh Brar, head of Punjabi Department at Punjabi
University, Patiala, said in the past as well, writers and poets had been using
words and idioms of the mid-20th century to address the members of different
castes and creed. "Not only Rajab Ali, literary work of legendary writers
like Bhai Gurdas, Warish Shah, Dhani Ram Chatrik and Peelu Da Mirza or even
religious books have such words... The arrests need to be revoked," he
said.
Sahitya Akademi award winner writer Ajmer Aulakh said though
nobody agreed to the use of any foul language against any community, it should
be taken into account when the book was penned.
Dr Balbir Kaur, director of Punjabi Language Department,
which has published Rajab Ali's poetry earlier, said the text was history and
should be treated in that context.
In a joint statement, Institute for Development and
Communication director Parmod Kumar, poets Amarjit Chandan and Navtej Bharti,
historian Harish Puri, writer Rajinder Singh Rahi, journalist Gobind Thukral
and film producer Rajeev Sharma have also demanded immediate release of the
arrested publishers and book editors. “The government's act violates the freedom
of expression," they said.
Uncrowned king of Kavishars
In rural Malwa, 'chhandd-band' (rhymed on meter) Punjabi
poetry called Kavishri is still sung loud, thanks to the uncrowned king of the
poetic style, Rajab Ali who inspired many Kavishars to spread the tradition.
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
State govt faces flak over arrest of four who published
works of Babu Rajab Ali
The recent arrest of two publishers and two editors for
reprinting the works of Babu Rajab Ali — one of the most well-known Kavishars —
by the state police has earned the ire of state intellegensia who have termed
it a, “totally thoughtless, callous and ruthless action taken by the Punjab
government”.
On September 15, Barnala police and Patiala police arrested
two publishers: Amit Mittar of Barnala-based Tark Bharti Prakashan and Ashok
Garg of Patiala-based Sangam Printers along with editors Jagjeet Singh Sahoke
from Moga and Swatantar from Samana. The arrested are currently undergoing judicial
remand and are in jail.
Noted names like Dr Parmod Kumar, director of the Institute
of Development and Communications; Dr Harish Puri, a well-known political
scientist and historian; Chaman Lal, a professor and former chairperson at the
Centre of Indian Languages in JNU; playwright Ajmer Aulkah and poets Navtej
Bharti and Amarjit Chandan and many more came down heavily on the state
government.
SSP Barnala Surjeet Singh maintained, “Our information
showed that these books carry information related to certain castes of our
society and could incite violence. However we are conducting inquiry into the
issue.”
However, Dr Harish Puri said: “What the government and the
police need to realise is that these works were written in a certain period of
time and contexts of those time. The contexts have now changed and while taking
an action like this the agencies should check the intention of the publishers
or the editors. This book is a mere reprint and the publishers have not added
any word from there side. As per me it is an innocent act.”“This act of the
Punjab government is not only against freedom of expression but also an abuse
of the law. We condemn the government’s move and demand immediate release of
all publishers and editors booked under the SC/ST Act,” they said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/state-govt-faces-flak-over-arrest-of-four-who-published-works-of-babu-rajab-ali/1006325/0
Will writers’ penning Waris Shah, Bhai Gurdas next after Rajab Ali, to face police action?
TIMES OF INDIA
Will writers’ penning Waris Shah, Bhai Gurdas next after Rajab Ali, to face police action?
BARNALA: If celebrated kavishar(folk writer)Rajab Ali'
poetry could get writers and publishers behind bars for reproducing it for it
being castiest or derogatory in nature, the state action could also be same
against persons penning words from Bhai Gurdas, Waris Shah' works having
equally castiest content in few chapters! This is the question doing rounds in
the minds of Punjab writers and prominent personalities, who have read works of
Bhasi Gurdas, Waris Shah and eminent Punjabi writer of yore Dhani Ram Chatrik
apart from Rajab Ali. The 'words' from Rajab Ali' poetry, which become basis
for the arrest of writers and publishers could also been seen in works of other
celebrated writers, rue the writers feeling suffocated over the arrests.
It is exactly a week when the two writers and publishers
were arrested by Punjab police on the charges of using castiest, derogatory
words in two different books pertaining to Rajab Ali. The police had on
September 15 arrested the publishers and writers suspecting the books could
cause unrest in the state and could led to rioting or division among
communities. Taking the wild imagination of the police head on, the writer
fraternity has slammed the state authorities for arresting the writers and
publishers only for reproducing the original poetry of Rajab Ali, who had died
in 1979. The writers terming the arrests as uncalled for and against the
freedom of expression, abuse of law has demanded their immediate release.
Barnala based publisher Amit Mittar, Samana in Patiala based
publisher Ashok Garg, village Sahoke in Moga based writer Jagjit Singh and
another writer Sukhwinder Singh were arrested on Saturday and are cooling the
heels in Barnala and Patiala Jail, waiting to be bailed out.
"The very poem, which allegedly hurt the feeling of
dalit community was written decades back by Rajab Ali(1894-1979), whose works
have been published by the state run languages department besides various other
publishers", said Shiromani Sahitkar award winner author Om Parkash Gasso.
Many writers and prominent personalities including Institute
foe development and communication director and Punjab Governance Reforms
Commission chairman Parmod Kumar, Sahitya Akademi award-winning writer Ajmer
Aulakh, London based poet Amarjit Chandan, Canada-based writer Navtej Bharti,
Professor of Contemporary India Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
Ronaki Ram, Shiromani Sahitkar Om Prakash Gasso, political scientist and
historian Harish Puri, writer Nirupama Dutt, Filmmakers Rajeev Sharma, Jainder
Mauhar, Daljit Ami, author Satnam condemning government move of arresting the
writers have signed a representation to the government demanding their
immediate release, arrested under SC/ST act.
Gasso said "these arrests have started debate on the
historical books whether they need to be modified of accept it as it is. It is
weird that you book a person for editing or publishing pieces in the book which
were originally written more than 50 years back. The book was never banned or
opposed". Reprint of the already written words cannot by any stretch of
imagination be considered to be a criminal offence. Rajab Ali' works and the
mention of the then used caste names in his poetry have to be understood in the
historical context, said Parmod Kumar adding not only Rajab Ali but Waris'
Heer, Bhai Gurdas' poetry too have words related to various casts".
The Punjab government, in its overzealous thoughtlessness,
has entered a wrong territory, as this is not the only text containing
traditional caste names. Such a cleansing, as the Punjab government has
attempted to carry out, will need doing away with all the classical Punjabi
literature containing the traditional caste names. This includes poetry by the
likes of Bhai Gurdas, Waris Shah, Shah Husain and Dhani Ram Chatrik, who are
regularly published by various state departments and universities run by the
Punjab government, reads the petition made by the signatories. The members of
some organizations few days ago had held protest at Moga against the caste based
remarks used in the books.
Who was Babu Rajab Ali
Rajab Ali was born in village Sahoke of Moga district and
had migrated to Pakistan after partition. He wrote about one dozen kissa and
poems about the Hindu mythology, historic figures, Sikh history and heroes like
Bhagat Singh, Saka Sirhind. He wrote long poems in Punjabi folklore like Heer
Ranjha, Mirza Sahiba, Dulla Bhatti and Sohni Mahiwal. Even more than three
decades of his death, still across the rural Malwa region of Punjab, Rajab
Ali's memories and poems are celebrated.
PUNJABI TRIBUNE
BABUSHAHI.COM
Two Punjabi publishers and two editors arrested
Arrest of two Punjabi publishers condemned
Chandigarh 21 Sep (babushahi.com bureau): The arrest of two
Punjabi publishers and two editors for reprinting old books of poet Babu Rajab
Ali which allegedly contained some then used caste names, under the Prevention
of Atrocities Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, is a totally
thoughtless, callous and ruthless action taken by the Punjab government. in a
joint statement issued here today by Ajmer Aulakh, Sahitya Akademi
award-winning writer, Amarjit Chandan, London-based poet, Navtej Bharti,
Canada-based writer, Ronki Ram, ICCR Chair Professor of Contemporary India
Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands, Om Prakash Gasso, Shiromani Sahitkar
, Harish Puri, political scientist and historian, Nirupama Dutt, writer and
journalist, Gobind Thukral, veteran journalist, Rajinder Singh Rahi, writer,
Baljit Balli,Editor, Babushahi.com (Tirchhi Nazar Media),Chandigarh said,
"We understand that Amit Mittar of Tark Bharti Prakashan and Ashok Garg of
Sangam and editors Jagjeet Singh Sahoke from Moga and Swatantar from Samana,
were arrested by the police on September 15 at the behest of the Punjab
government, is absolutely against academic freedom. Babu Rajab Ali (1894-1979)
was a popular poet of Punjab. His poetry published much before the Indepence of
India included qissas of Punjabi folktales like Heer Ranjha, Dulla Bhatti,
Mirza Sahiban, and Bhagat Singh etc. His works have been published by the state-run
Language Department, Punjab, besides various other publishers. A new reprint of
those works cannot by any stretch of imagination be considered to be a criminal
offence. His works and the mention of the then used caste names in his poetry
have to be understood in the historical context. Making a reference to
traditional caste names in academic works cannot be construed as name-calling.
Some scholars make it clear in the beginning of their works that references to
historical caste names are just for interpretation of the contexts rather for
any other purposes. Moreover in the case of the publishers the intention is not
at all for the abusive use of the particular caste category. It is in this
context that this case needs to be understood, they added. They said that the
Punjab government, in its overzealous thoughtlessness, has entered a wrong
territory, as this is not the only text containing traditional caste names.
Such a cleansing, as the Punjab government has attempted to carry out, will
need doing away with all the classical Punjabi literature containing the
traditional caste names. This includes not just poetry by the likes of Bhai
Gurdas, Waris Shah, Shah Husain and Dhani Ram Chatrik, who are regularly
published by various state departments and universities run by the Punjab
government, but, the sacred text of Guru Granth Sahib too. Also, the government
should have bothered to inquire from its agencies whether these publishers and
writer are really against Dalits or not. All these people are known for
producing pro-Dalit and pro-working class literature at affordable prices. We
condemn the government's move and demand immediate release of all publishers
and editors booked under the SC/ST Act, they added.
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