Time : 02 जुलाई · 14:00 - 17:00
Place :
Gandhi Peace Foundation (GPF) (Tentative)
Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg
TOPIC : IS PRO-PEOPLE JOURNALISM POSSIBLE WITHOUT ACTIVISM?
SPEAKER : SUMANTO BANERJEE
Presence is Resistance!
Can there be a bigger absurdity than when a system that pledges by rule of law mercilessly slaughters an innocent citizen? Killing of journalist Hem Chandra Pandey raises similar questions to Indian democracy.
On 2nd of July last year Hem was killed along with CPI (Maoists) spokesperson Azad in a fake encounter by Andhra Police. To sustain his ideas and values it has been decided to organize annual Hem Memorial Lecture series. On the first anniversary of his sacrifice, the first Hem Memorial Lecture will be given by veteran journalist and writer Sumanto Bannerjee. On the same day a book titled ‘Vichardhaara Walla Patrakaar: Hem Chandra Pandey’ (A Journalist with an ideology: Hem Chandra Pandey) will also be released.
Hem was practicing journalism at the time when corporatization of media was at its height and there was no space for a young journalist full of idealism. Hem opposed this trend and opted for the role of activist-journalist. His pen was not slave to capital; instead it wanted to weave a dream of a beautiful society. He wanted to write pulsating song of defiance and resistance against the ills of hunger, injustice and illiteracy. This was his crime, and he was handed death penalty by the authority for this only.
Every person present at the July 2nd programme will be a symbol of protest against this punishment.
The so called ‘fourth pillar’ of the Indian democracy has completely morphed into an industry today. The industry of image making has its own role models. Greatest personalities like Vir, Barkha and Prabhu are a mere glance of this masked journalism. Hem was people’s own journalist and their hero against this club of masked journalists. Hem was against fixing tie ups with the state, instead he felt it was his duty to register the true state of our poor, soiled in mud, blood and tears of their everyday toil.
The celebrity faces of corporate journalism reflect crass elitism. They reflect a hatred for poor and negligence towards truth. They are aggressive against people’s resistance. They look for news in sensationalism and only care for profit, whether it comes from war-mongering, cricket or cinema. They are experts in agenda setting and always look to strengthen the dominating ideas and views. They ignore public interest at the behest of their masters and by being advocates of status-quo they flutter high the flag of ‘information-revolution’ in our poor nation.
Hem is the name for rebellion against this anti people journalism.
Hem is journalist of counter culture opposing the idea of post modern popular culture.
Hem is spokesperson of counter public sphere against bourgeoisie public sphere
Hem is a symbol of counter media against corporate media.
Let’s remember this people’s journalist opposed to the pseudo characters of corporate media.
It’s hoped that a large number of people who believe in left-democratic initiatives will attend the lecture on July 2nd. Remember, this programme is like feeling the pulse of the radical stream of journalism. It is being organized by Hem Memorial committee that includes Hem’s friends from his student days, and some other like minded journalists. This programme is not of any particular organization, we appeal to all justice loving people to join us.
This unity will be helpful in establishing true democracy in the coming days.
(Released by Bhupen Singh for Hem Chandra Pandey Memorial Committee )
