the journey of a legend chp-04

8/2/2019 THE JOURNEY OF A LEGEND Chp-04

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Shri Harbhajan Singh, Balram Jakhar and Justice A.N. Grover, Chairman Press Council of India

Balram Jakhar with the port rait of Shri Harbhajan Singh made by one of the Federation Members


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ChapterM essiah of Small and M edium N ew spaper Persons

BOUT 2 decades back, small & medium newspaperswere no-identity, men who matters were not taking themseriously, because of their small number of circulation, butfrom heart to heart, it was a substantial force, becausesmall & medium newspapers is majority in numbers andtheir combined circulation is larger than big newspapers.Large newpapers are hardly hundred in number, comingout from big cities or the capital of the states, but the small& medium newspapers coming from small villages andtowns are more than, 10 thousand.

According to survey 80% of the populations arerelied upon small & medium newspapers for theirinformation.

Shri Harbhajan Singh had put his blood and sweat inFederation and fought vigorously for their just cause with

A

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Shri Harbhajan Singh had put his blood and sweat

in Federation and fought

vigorously for their just cause

with the government.


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Profusely garlanded by Media persons

the government, with his personal rapport with the menwho matters with the government, able to get lot of relief'sfor the small & medium newspapers.

In many of the agitations against the government forthe rightful rights, he was always on forefront. Newsprintwas an important issue, and he raised the voice, the controlshould be lifted from newsprint and the government liftedthe control from the newsprint and made easily availableboth Indian and imported newsprint in the market at thecompetitive price.

Accreditation was used to be given only to the bignewspapers, and to the correspondents as a member ofcentral press accreditation committee, he vigorouslyfought for the relaxation of the rules, daily, weekly andfortnightly having a circulation of 5000 copies should getthe accreditation from the Government of India.

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In many of the agitations

against the government for

the rightful rights, he was

always on forefront.


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Shri H arbhajan Singhs Crowning Glory All smiles is Dr Bhisham Narain Singh as Shri G.V.G. Krishnamurthy

places the Crown on Shri Singhs head

Shri Harbhajan Singh was the senior most memberof Central Press Accreditation Committee; he was on theCommittee for the last 20 years and Member of the PressCouncil for six years.

The advertisement is the main source of revenue forthe small & medium newspapers, as they rely upon thegovernment support, he pleaded to the government that80% advertisements should be given to small & mediumnewspapers and there rates should be increased, it was acontinued struggle and finally the government accepted

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He pleaded to the government

that 80%

advertisements should be given

to small &medium

newspapers.


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Shri Harbhajan Singh Honours all the way.

the viewpoint of Harbhajan Singh, and today almost all thesmall & medium newspapers are getting governmentadvertisements with more insertions and higheradvertising rates. With the coming of Dr. Manmohan Singhgovernment, he was nominated in the empanelmentcommittee of DAVP, which approves newspapers for thegovernment of India's advertisements.

Governments in the center and state give dueweightage to the point of views of the federation andstarted consulting on all major issues concerning media.

Federation submitted a proposal to theGovernment for seting up of a Small and mediumNewspaper Development Corporation, which willstrengthen the small & medium newspapers. Small andmedium newspapers educate the 80% of the population atthe grassroot level in small towns and villages, those who

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He was nominated in the

empanelment committee of DAVP, which

approves newspapers for the government

of India's advertisements.


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* VICTORY IS ALWAYS SWEET*Shri G.V.G. Krishnamurty Former Election Commissioner of India

offering a laddoo to Shri Harbhajan Singh

decide the fate of the country at the ballot box.This federation is the largest and the strongest body

of small & medium newspapers, having nearly 10,000members in the country and organized units in the states.

It was the effort of Shri Harbhajan Singh that the PIB,DAVP, Press Council of India and other government'smedia organizations in the center and in the statesrecognize federation.

In the Annual General meeting of the Federationin 2003, Shri Harbhajan Singh was declared National

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It was the effort ofShri Harbhajan

Singh that the PIB,DAVP, Press Council of India and other

government's media organizations in the

center and in the states recognize

federation.


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President for Life of the All India Small & MediumNewspapers Federation. He was a valiant fighter andpatron of 7000 members of Small & Medium NewspapersFederation across the country. He was available to all hisfederation members 24 hours a day and 365 days of theyear. He not only guided about the business problems buthelped them to solve their personal problems also.Whenever any one troubled his Federation's member forhis personal vested interest he found in Sardar Harbhajan

... A warm hug from Gurinder

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He was available to all

his federation members 24

hours a day and 365 days of the

year.


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Singh a great Wall. He was a great humanitarian, and bighearted and fearless person. He was the true specimen of

journalism. His approach in journalism was based on thebasic epithet without fear & favour.

In the year 1979 Harbhajan Singh Ji as member ofPress Council visited Jaipur with Chairman Press CouncilJustice A.N. Grover. Then Shri Harbhajan Singh came toknow that two small newspapers of Rajasthan were axedby District Administration. Their declaration had beencancelled and their press was sealed. On getting this newsthe face expressions of Sardar Harbhajan Singh Ji was such

as some one had hurt his own children. He asked theRajasthan Government to give the detailed information onthis action.

... with Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Honble Vice President of India

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He asked the Rajasthan Government to

give the detailed information on this action.


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... A forceful Speaker on the Role of Press in fighting Criminalization in Politics

Next day morning in the Press Council meeting thereport of Rajasthan Government was put before him. Aftergoing through the report Sardar Ji roared with anger. Heimmediately asked the Chairman of Press Council that thisis a Crushing Act of the State Government and to verify thetruths, one Sub-Committee of Press Council be formed.The sub-committee checked the details of both the ceasednewspapers one each at Udaipur and Bundi . According tothe Sub-Committee the truth came out that bothnewspapers were crushed for the vested interest of theDistrict Administration. He along with Justice Groverordered the district administration to withdraw the sealingof both Press with immediate effect and ensure that suchact should not be repeated in future.

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He along with Justice Grover ordered the

district administration

to withdraw the sealing of both

Press with immediate effect and ensure that such act should not be repeated

in future.


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Observing silence in memory of Late Prime Ministers Shri Rajiv Gandhi and Smt. Indira Gandhi who greatly respected the Freedom of the Press

In the year 1989 when Press Reforms Bill was put bythe Rajiv Gandhi Government the contents of the Bill were'Axing the Freedom of Press'. This was opposed across thecountry under the leadership of Sardar Harbhajan Singh.Fumes came out all over country and turned into flames atDelhi. Finally government was compelled to withdraw theBill. Shri HarbhajanSingh Ji was called at Shastri Bhawan,Delhi and was informed about the withdrawal of this Bill.

Harbhajan Singh Ji always treated his federationmembers as parts of his own body and always nursed themin that way.

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Harbhajan Singh Ji always

treated his

federation members as parts of his own body and always nursed them in

that way.


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... with the Union Minister for Human Resources Development Shri Arjun Singh

Once he convened a federaion meeting in a five starhotel. His excellency President Giani Zail Singh was the

Chief Guest. In his Presidential address Giani Zail Singhcategorically said that Sardar Harbhajan Singh is advocatingfor Small & Medium Newspapers but organized function infive star hotel. He calls you and honours you. Such BigHearted Sardar Harbhajan Singh Ji is.

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When Delhi Government imposed VAT on Smalland Medium Newspapers Sardar Harbhajan Singh cameout and led a procession to the residence of Ms. SheilaDikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi. His plea was that 4% VATliability is unbearable. Minister told that for this small causea man of your status should not come in procession. Youshould ring me up or send the memorandum by Post.Harbhajan Singh Ji told that for the goodwill of Small &Medium Newspapers he could go up to any extent.

The federation members get members acquaintedwith the new techniques implemented in developedcountries in information media and try to use the same inIndia with available limited resources.

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When Delhi Government

imposed VAT on Small and Medium

Newspapers Sardar Harbhajan Singh

came out and led a procession to the residence

of Ms. Sheila Dikshit , Chief

Minister of Delhi.

Shri Harbhajan Singh leading a Press Demonstration against Delhi Governments VAT Policy


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NOT WELL Shri Narayan Datt Tiwari who made it to the Federation Function

Honble Shivraj Patil speaking at the Symposia organised by the All India Small and Medium Newspapers Federation

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At the Federation Session from left Shri Harbhajan Singh, S.B. Chavan, Mrs Veena Vermaand Justice R.S. Sarkaria Chairman Press Council

Famous journalist S. Khushwant Singh quoted in hisfamous syndicated column that Sardar Harbhajan Singhspersonality was that of a Banka , always dressed in spotlesswhite, smells of itter and ever cheerful.

the journey of a legend chp-04

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