AAP government faces criticism over summoning editor of Ajit newspaper

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Chandigarh: After the Aam Aadmi party government in Punjab summoned the editor of the Punjabi newspaper Ajit last week as part of a vigilante investigation, the ruling party was accused of twisting the media for the bend in favor of state governments.

The vernacular media of Punjab has a great influence on the rural areas. Ajit daily, published in Jalandhar, is said to be one of the largest circulation Punjabi dailies in the state.

Senior journalist Baltej Pannu, who is currently director of media relations in the office of chief ministers of Punjab, denied any alleged political vendetta in the case by Ajit staff members as well as opposition parties and their leaders.

He told The Wire that the issue concerned the embezzlement of funds from a memorial built under the SAD-BJP government of which he was appointed president for life. The publisher has been invited to join the survey. If he’s clean, he’ll be fine, Pannu said, adding that implying anything other than that is completely wrong.

Ajit editor Barjinder Singh Hamdard who has been summoned in connection with an ongoing investigation related to the alleged misuse of funds during the construction of the Rs 315 crore Jang-E-Azadi memorial in Kartarpur in Jalandhar, is said to have played a key role in the design. and construction of the project. The project aimed to honor the sacrifices made by Indians, especially Punjabis, for India’s independence.

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However, he resigned last month from his functions as secretary member of the foundation as well as chairman of the management committee of this Memorial, citing the ill-treatment inflicted by the AAP government. He claimed the government was slandering the memorial’s name by sending police and vigilance teams, The Indian Express reported.

Ajit State Office chief Harkewal Singh told The Wire that Hamdard, who was summoned on May 29, was unable to appear that day because he was unavailable. But Singh criticized the action of the Punjab government, saying its editor had been unnecessarily dragged into the matter. He was nowhere involved in the financial dealings of running the projects, Singh said. Hamdard was working in an honorary role to run the site through a foundation whose ex-officio CEO is the District Collector, Jalandhar.

He also claimed that the state had twisted the newspaper’s arm since the AAP came to power in Punjab in order to gain favorable coverage. But we are an independent media accountable to our readers. To this day, there is not even a single story from us that this government has contradicted. But they put all kinds of indirect pressure on us, he said.

Although Hamdard could not be reached for comment, he wrote a letter earlier in March to Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit alleging that the Punjab government had barred Ajit staff journalists from entering. Samachar, special reporters, cameramen and videographers during the budget session in the state. assembly.

He further said that the Punjab government has ordered all departments that even a small tender notice should not be published in the Ajit publication group.

Barjinder Singh also pointed out in his letter to the Governor of Punjab that Punjab state police officials were threatening him and trying to implicate him in bogus cases by order of the state government.

The AAP attack the freedom of the press

The Chandigarh Press Club, which has more than 1,000 working journalists among its members, delivered a memorandum to the governor of Punjab on May 19 highlighting the regular attacks on press freedom.

He mentioned that recently the Twitter accounts of several journalists, commentators and media organizations including independent verticals linked to Punjab were withheld (during the police operation to arrest Khalistan sympathizer Amritpal Singh).

Calling on the governor to raise the issue with the state government and end unnecessary harassment of journalists in Punjab, he added that the Punjab police had even gone so far as to restrict freedom of expression by arresting journalists independents and by searching their homes.

The Ajit affair is now the latest installment in the AAP’s constant tussle with the media.

Political parties in Punjab are already in action mode against the AAP government. On Monday, May 29, the leadership of the Punjab Congress passed a resolution condemning the action of the AAP government against the publisher of Ajit, calling it an oppression and intimidation of independent media institutions to silence constructive criticism and dissent.

We call on all political and non-political organizations to gather at Ajit Group Office, Jalandhar at 1:00 p.m. on June 1, 2023 to show solidarity with S. Barjinder Singh Hamdard ji and protect democratic ideals in Punjab, leader of Punjab from the opposition and senior congressman Partap Singh Bajwa tweeted.

Punjab State Congress Leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also said that the Aam Aadmi Party government has used many tactics to silence journalists.

Shiromani Akali Dal Chairman Sukhbir Singh Badal also raised his voice, saying the persecution of Hamdard and Ajit newspaper was just the beginning. The real game is to scare and suppress independent media in Punjab, especially those who act as the voice of the Khalsa Panth, the people and Punjab, Badal said. He said the Akali Dal will attend the June 1 meeting to express solidarity with Hamdard, Ajit and press freedom

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