Terrorists adopt new strategy to intimidate media in Punjab

No news is bad news in Punjab these days. If the reader does not get his newspaper in the morning, it may not merely mean sipping tea without the usual headline browsing. It could mean that another innocent newspaper hawker has been killed for distributing a publication inimical to terrorist activity. That, in a battle between the pen and the AK 47, the assault rifle has prevailed again.

Last fortnight, the state witnessed a bizarre scene as armed policemen escorted hawkers on their morning rounds. In a situation where everyone in khaki is hard pressed, this strange new duty seemed like another exercise in absurdity. But for the owners of the Hind Samachar group, the primary target, it was harsh reality: a decisive face-off with terrorist organisations.

Since the followers of Sikh zealot Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale began rewriting the history of Punjab with bullets and blood, the Hind Samachar group (combined circulation: 6.94 lakh) has lost its founder Lala Jagat Narain, his son Romesh Chander and seven members of its editorial staff. But it received the biggest blow last month when seven of its newsagents and hawkers were gunned down by the terrorists in a planned and well publicised campaign. Admitted the group's Delhi editor, Ashwini Kumar: "Now they have hit where it hurts most. They want to cripple us financially."

"The situation is bad. We do not want to push sales. If someone dies, it leaves a foul taste for a long time." Vijay Kumar Chopra, chief editor, Hind Samachar group

The results of this new strategy were instantaneous. As town after town came under the grip of fear, hawkers' associations struck work and people went without newspapers for days. More than 150 agents of the Samachar group refused to pick up their three publications, Punjab Kesari in Hindi, Jagbani in Punjabi and Hind Samachar in Urdu. From a total circulation in Punjab of three lakh, the circulation of the three dailies dipped by one lakh in late June and early July.

After the state-wide police protection to newspaper distribution activities, it climbed back a bit, but the final tally was still short by 55,000 copies. Says Jalandhar-based Chief Editor and the second son of Lala Jagat Narain, Vijay Kumar Chopra: "The situation is still bad in the villages. We do not want to push sales. If someone dies, it leaves a foul taste for a long time." Hind Samachar's ongoing feud with terrorists is as old as the history of Sikh extremism. Lala Jagat Narain was a witness against the Akalis in their case with Nirankaris.

The lone occasion when Bhindranwale was arrested was during the hearing of the Jagat Narain murder case. His papers always had a shrill tone when reporting on Sikh issues, which was widely dubbed pro-Hindu. The tone has changed now, but not the agony of the first family of Punjab journalism. Now what irks the terrorists most is a charity fund which the newspaper runs to rehabilitate the victims of terrorism.

The dailies' office and owners' house on Jalandhar's Hind Samachar Road are permanently cordoned off. A posse of about 50 Central Reserve Police Force jawans with light machine-guns guards the entrances. Reinforced concrete walls and wire mesh on roofs have been erected to ward off possible rocket attacks. Bullet-proof cars line the lane. Inside, reporters and computer programmers work under whirring closed-circuit TV cameras.

Chopra's elder son sits across a glass pane scanning the TV screen from half a dozen different angles. The younger one whips out a .38 automatic while walking 20 paces across to the house. "We have problems like Rajiv Gandhi. But we have to do with limited resources," he rues.

But now the threat which was once limited to the family has spilled over to the streets. The killings of the hawkers have given a new colour to the city's newspaper distribution system. At 4 a.m. every day, about 450 policemen led by a superintendent of police (SP) descend on the Shastri Chowk market. BSF personnel cordon off the four roads and machine-gun fitted jeeps block the way. The area is searched for any hidden bombs.

Within half an hour, newspaper-laden trucks arrive under police guard. For the next two hours, the newspapers are sorted and packed by 250-odd vendors under the vigilant eyes of the policemen, some of whom check the bicycles for planted bombs. The gathering splits with policemen tailing the hawkers. Says the SP P.S. Mann: "It certainly means more work for the force. But it cannot be helped. It's happening in every town."

Officials in Chandigarh admit that this round has given the Panthic Committee - which initiated the move - and the terrorists a boost. Things had been getting difficult for them lately with police mounting pressure. They were also losing local sympathy since it was being widely publicised that more and more Sikhs were dying at their hands. And with Islamabad's new government cutting back on support, cross-border traffic stood curtailed if not halted.

Said one senior official: "This move was their best bet to bounce back. They are creating panic, hitting at their old adversary known for taking anti-terrorism positions, and hogging headlines again." Predictably, emboldened by their anti-Hind Samachar campaign, the Panthic Committee launched another campaign of hatred and terror - warning non-Sikhs not to take admission in universities and technical colleges.

Barring those sympathetic to militants, the media in Punjab rallied behind the Samachar group. Angry editorials flowed. Said the Editor of Lok Lahar, Suhail Singh: "The separatists and terrorists are adopting new strategies but the state and the Central governments have an indifferent attitude."

Added Jagjit Singh Anand of Nawan Zamanaa: "This group is the strongest voice against terrorism in north India. This is an attack on free speech and democratic norms." The anger soon turned towards those who failed to criticise the new menaee. Asked an editorial in Pratap: "Why is the Talwandi group silent? Do they concur with what is happening?" The Akalis, barring soft liners like S.S. Barnala, remained silent.

True, for the country which saw bloodied frenzy over the banning of The Satanic Verses, the threat to press freedom failed to evince sharp public condemnation. The Janata Dal, for instance, issued not even a formal press statement on the matter for a month. But professionals were outraged.

Concluded a strong report of the Editors' Guild of India: "The press in the rest of the country should declare its solidarity with the press in Punjab." Guild member Kuldip Nayar said: "It is a greater danger than the Defamation Bill and as we unitedly stood up against that, we should stand up and fight this menace." Warned Vijay Kumar: "Today it is us in Jalandhar, tomorrow it can be someone else in Delhi."

But the next publication on the hit list was again in Jalandhar: Nawan Zamanaa. Its management got a threatening letter last fortnight similar to those which spelled trouble for the Samachar group. In Delhi, Ashwini Kumar's security was beefed up after fresh threats: black cat commandos replaced the Delhi Police. But he continued to exude toughness: "It will be a long war. They can hurt us, but they cannot finish us."

That had a ring of ominous truth. For the media seems to have strayed into a new minefield. With terrorism deciding to play deadly censor, a long war of grit and nerves lies ahead.