In India, Hindi journalism not only played an important role in the struggle for independence but in the end of the east slavery, this role is being felt more in the newly formed India, because since then, its contribution in raising voice of society, asking questions and giving platform to public sentiments has been unforgettable. Hindi journalism or local journalism, informs people in their language to them and makes the widespread spread of knowledge across the country. Hindi Journalism Day is celebrated every year on 30 May, in fact, in British India, two centuries, when newspapers were published only in English, Persian, Urdu and Bangla language in the then Hindustan, then the first Hindi newspaper in the name of ‘Udanta Martand’ in Hindi language from the capital of the country was printed in Hindi language. It was started by Pandit Jugal Kishore Shukla as a weekly. Its publishers and editors were also themselves. Even though this newspaper has stopped now, it had aroused the sun of Hindi journalism, which is still resplendent.
In the end of the nineteenth century and in the early twentieth century, many Hindi daily newspapers came out in which Hindustan, Bharatodaya, Bharatmitra, Bharat Jeevan, Abhyudaya, Vishwamitra, Aaj, Pratap, Vijay, Veer Arjuna etc. are prominent. In the fourth-fifth decades of the twentieth century, major Hindi daily newspapers like Amar Ujala, Aryavarta, Navbharat Times, Nai Duniya, Jagran, Punjab Kesari, Nav Bharat etc. came to light. In democracy, the media stands as the fourth pillar, journalism is a medium through which we are aware of the current state of the country. Journalists work tirelessly, so that the news arrives immediately to our house. Whether it is through newspapers, through TV channels or through the widespread impact of social media, the power of journalism cannot be underestimated in the formation and changing society. This plays an important role in broadening our approach and promoting informed dialogues.
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The color of revolutionary in Hindi journalism was filled by Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. He started a 16 -page ‘Pratap’ newspaper from Kanpur city of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 1913. This work was done by Shiv Narayan Mishra, Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, Narayan Prasad Arora and Coronation Press owner Yashoda Nandan. Shiva Narayan Mishra and Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi made ‘Pratap’ their work place. Vidyarthi’s newspaper Pratap gave a lot of strength to the revolutionaries. Munshi Premchand was a great writer-storyteller as well as a revolutionary and combative journalist of Hindi, his journalism was also revolutionary, but his journalistic contribution is almost forgotten. His journalism was a journalism against the British rule during the era of Jungle-Independence. When he used to attack the evils and fans of the society, he also advocated moral values. It is my good fortune that I am a famous journalist of Rajasthan. Being the son of Sri Ramswaroop Garg, he got an opportunity to assimilate the values of journalism. He published and edited magazines like ‘Rashtravani’ and ‘Parivartan’ in 1936 and later. He was the editor of the initial digits of Rajasthan’s prestigious daily Navjyoti in the weekly form. It was started by Shri Ramnarayan Chaudhary, the personal secretary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Today, while Hindi has become the third language and used the most in the country and the world, the value of Hindi journalism has easily increased. Undoubtedly, vigilant, vigilant and fearless Hindi journalist and journalism shows the path to the ruling by playing the role of a strong opposition. Akbar Allahabadi has expressed its strength and importance in these words that ‘Do not draw the command, do not remove the sword, when the cannon is a cannon, then take out the newspaper.’ Through these lines, he has said that Hindi journalism is also powerful with cannon and swords and said that they are used. That is, the pen is also described as powerful with weapons. But bad and selfish forces are using power, sword and cannon to break the pen of news, weaken them, weaken them and destroy freedom of expression. But even a sharp pen than the sword is so effective that due to this, big politicians, industrialists and stars had to come on the floor with harem.
Hindi journalists and journalism are facing many crisis- struggle and violence, terror and separation, communalism and superstition, war and political domination, poverty and unemployment, constant socio-economic inequalities, environmental crisis and challenges for the health and good of the people are Hindi journalists. This role is important due to the serious impact on democracy, rule of law and the basis of human rights. Despite this, there are constant attacks on freedom of Hindi journalism, security of journalists and freedom of expression. Sometimes Hindi seems to be a strict watch on the freedom of journalism in India, which is unfortunate. Whereas there is a big truth that we have got freedom on the strength of these journalists. Journalism continues to suggest the way to the government in public interest, hence its credibility. But when governments try to change its original nature, they attack its credibility. In such a situation, journalism begins to turn into a publicity rather than the fourth pillar of democracy. Journalism helps in removing economic, social and political discrepancies. Instead of taking advantage of it, if there is an attempt to strangle it, then development cannot be claimed in the true sense, a new India-power India cannot be created. If a government is truly liberal and democratic, it will try to learn something from criticism. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has also talked about repeating our incredible support towards Hindi journalism, which is very important for democracy.
Hindi journalism was once a mission, today has become a business. There was a mission till the freedom movement. Gradually, traders started coming in it. Industrial houses landed. Their purpose was not social service, business was done. They started doing business. They started printing from which they would benefit. In the digital age, TRP and views have become the measure of success. Sensational news, gossip, and ‘debate spectacles’ have been replaced by serious journalism. The dharna of the fact, stimulation instead of analysis, and noise in place of dialogue have occupied. The anchor is engaged in attracting the readers by screaming by making noise. Hindi journalism is facing many such challenges and discrepancies. In the last few years, the level of journalism has fallen worryingly, while the fame, impact and access of journalists has increased more than ever. Why this contradiction? Journalists are getting older, but why are journalism and its values shrink? Today, Facebook journalist, journalist running news portal, journalists running YouTube channel have flooded the country. The dominance of TV journalism is increasing, daily newspapers of big and multi-cultures are also growing rapidly. The counting of online newspapers is increasing. Look at which is doing journalism. Despite all this, the news and Hindi journalism has declined in the last few years. The level of journalism has fallen. The honor of the journalist has come down. First it is believed that it would be right if it is printed in the newspaper, but not ready to give any guarantee of the news in the media today. Earlier Hindi journalism used to be an ideological revolution, today the news has become the head, the thoughts are extinct. It will be meaningful to celebrate Hindi Journalism Day only when it will be made inspiration for new people, new society, new nation as a mission.
– Fine Garg
Writer, journalist, columnist