HISTORY AND ROLE OF PRESS DURING 20TH CENTURY IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR: A STUDY OF EARLY RESTRICTIONS AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF Doctor of Philosophy In History BY FIRDOUS HAMEED PAREY Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF PROF. ALI ATHAR CENTER OF ADVANCED STUDY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY ALIGARH (UP)-202002 2018 CENTRE OF ADVANCED STUDY ALI ATHAR DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY Professor of History Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh- 202 002 Certificate This is to certify that the thesis entitled “History and Role of Press During 20th Century in Jammu and Kashmir: A Study of Early Restrictions and their Accomplishments” is the original work of Mr. Firdous Hameed Parey completed under my supervision. The thesis is suitable for submission for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History. Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University(Prof. Ali Athar) Supervisor Telephone : (0571) 2703146: Fax No. (0571) 2703146: Internal: 1480 and 1481 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful “Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Saabiroon (the patient).” (Al Quran 6:46) While a completed thesis bears the single name of the student, the process that leads to its completion is always enriched by a number of people, places and incidents. I wish to acknowledge my appreciation to certain people. At the outset, I owe my deep sense of deepest gratitude to Alligarh Muslim University and Its founder, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. This university helped shape the lives of many generations and mine as well. Aligarh will remain an inseparable and an indispensable part of my life, my story and my journey. I am extremely grateful to my Supervisor, Prof. Ali Athar. It has been an honour to work under his supervision. I appreciate all his contributions of time, teaching, ideas, knowledge and encouragement to make my Ph.D experience productive and stimulating. As my supervisor, he has constantly helped me to remain focused on achieving my goal. His observations and comments always helped me to establish the overall direction of the research and to move forward with investigation in depth. I am deeply thankful to Prof. Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi, the Chairman, Department of History, for making it possible to carry out this work in the department. I pay my Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University profound gratitude to all my teachers, particularly, Prof M K Pundhir, Prof. Mohammad Sajjad, Prof. Ishrat Alam, Dr. Mohammad Nafeesh, Mr. Vinay Saraf and above all special thanks to Dr. Sumbul Haleem Khan for his guidance, support, cooperation and valuable advices as a teacher throughout my research work. The school teachers and some influential scholars of my town, Hajin have been the most significant factor in determining the course of my scholarly development. They have over the years sustained me through the ups and downs and made my way easier to achieve the higher education. Teachers who deserve special mention in this regard are Dr. Amin Fayazi, Mr. Shakir Shafi, Mr. Majeed Majazi, Dr. Mehraj-Uddin-Paray, Dr. Falak Feroz, Dr. Reyaz-Ul-Hassan, Late Ghulam Mohi Uddin Paray and Dr. Khursheed. I greatly appreciate Dr. Amin Fayazi for his generous time in proof reading. I would like to express my special thanks to him for being a great soul. He is always ready to help with a smile. The in-depth data collected and discussed in the thesis would not have been possible without the support of National archives, New Delhi and State Archives of J&K. The archivists helped me to locate valuable and rare documents for this study. Individuals who deserve special mention in this regard are Dr. Sangeeta, Shugufta, Shaheena, Mudassira, Ramesh Kumar, Gandharuk Singh and above all Peerzada Mohammad Ashraf (Deputy Dir. State Archives JK). I acknowledge his help in my gaining access to some of the priceless sources used with an ease and putting trust in me. I also owe much to some libraries, museums and cultural academies which helped me in finding some priceless materials. The list includes the Dept library, Maulana Azad Library, Iqbal Library KU, Jammu University Library, Ranbir Singh library Jammu, Bhai Kahn Singh Library, PU Patiala, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Cultural and Languages Srinagar and Press Information Bureau Srinagar. I have had the honour of studying, interacting and learning with a peerless group of scholars and friends through my academic career, all of whom have influenced my intellectual development in significant ways. In this regard I extend my sincere gratitude to Zahoor Ahmad, Tawseef Ahmad, Waseem Ahmad, Sameer Bhat, Ishfaq Abdullah, Safeer AhmadMaulana, Irfan Rasheed, Azad Khwaja Library, Bhai, AligarhSuhail Bhai Muslim, Sameer UniversityBha, Javid Bhat, Javeed Ahangar, Dilawar Nabi, Tabassum Bhai, Basharat Hassan, Muneer Malik, Zahid, Ummer Khandey, Naseer Ahmad, Altaf Bhai, Lateef Ahmad, Shafat, Haseeb Abdullah, Masroor Ahmad, Ishfaq Ahmad, Auruna Mushtaq, Nuzhat Mushtaq, Sayima, Shazia, Masrat, Sabi Fatima, Ruhi Didi, Zamrooda Didi, Shahidah, Ishfaq Zulfiqar, Shahnawaz, Rameez Ahmad, Azhar Dawood, Mujeeb Bhai, Hilal Bhat, Gowhar, Arhan, Ana, Bilu, Saqib, Jahangeer Majeed, Irshad Paray, Saqib, Irfan, Tariq Bhai, Showket Bhai, Amir Bhai, Showket Bhai, Owais, Laura Schuurmans, Junaid, Dawood, Aqib Akbar, Asif, Bilal, Mudasir, Haroon, Shanawaz, Shakir Shabeer, Asif Iqbal, Yasir Bashir, Zafer Muzafer, Muneeb Bhai, Apa, Imran, Javeed Rehman, Azhar. Above all, I wholeheartedly acknowledge the contribution and cooperation of Sajad Rasheed throughout my research. I am personally very much thankful to him. This work would not have been possible without the financial support of the UGC and ICHR fellowship to pursue doctoral studies. I am indebted to the grants. I would like to thank administrative and non-teaching staff of the university who have always been kind enough to help in their respective roles. And my sincere thanks are due to the authors and researchers whose works I have read, screened and quoted in my work. Last, but not least, Nobody has been more important to me in the pursuit of this project than the members of my family. I would like to thank my parents; my father, Abdul Hameed Parray and mother Mehtaba Begum, my family including Mouja, Mohammad Sikander, Ali Mohammad, Hilal Hameed, Sartaj Hameed, Tamjeeda and Maria whose love and countless prayers are with me in whatever I pursue. I would like to dedicate this thesis to my family, for their love, patience, and understanding—they allowed me to spend most of the time on this thesis. Firdous Hameed Parey Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University CONTENTS Glossary Abbreviations Map INTRODUCTION 1-12 CHAPTER I 13-44 Political Upsurge: an Analytical Study of the Punjab Press CHAPTER II 45-76 Press Laws: Prospect and Retrospect CHAPTER III 77-112 Accomplishing Phase of Local Press in Pre-1947 Jammu and Kashmir CHAPTER IV 113-148 State’s Accession with Indian Union and the Press CHAPTER V 149-187 The Proliferation and Gagging of Press Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University CONCLUSION 188-194 APPENDICES 195-208 BIBLIOGRAPHY 209-221 GLOSSARY Anjuman: An association of society Beggar: Forced Labour Darbar: Royal Court His Highness Maharaja Bahadur: Mark of respect to Dogra rulers Jagirs: A land grant given by the state to an individual called a jagirdar, for a limited time period; the individual held the right to asses and collect land revenue and other taxes from this land Pandit: Title given to a Brahman learned in Hindu texts; also teacher and expert Praja Sabha: People’s House established in 1934 Samvat: an era used in Kashmir during the Dogra period. It has a difference of 56-57 years with the Christian era Sheikh: In Kashmir context, a descendent of a Hindu converts to Islam Syeed: A Muslim claiming decent from the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) Tawhid: The unity of all creation under Islam; the monotheistic principle of the existence of one God Zamindar: In Kashmir context, a cultivator of land or peasant Months based on Punjabi Calendar: Magh: mid January- mid February Fagun: mid February- mid March Chet: mid March- mid April Vesaak: mid April- mid May Jaeth: mid May- mid June Hard: Maulanamid June- mid Azad July Library, Aligarh Muslim University Savan: mid July- mid August Badaon: mid August- mid September Asoo: mid September- mid October Kartik: mid October- mid November Magad: mid November- mid December Poh: mid December- mid January ABBREVIATIONS Bakshi : Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad CMC : Civil and Military Gazette G M Sadiq : Khawaja Ghulam Muhammad Sadiq Paper : Newspaper Sheikh : Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah State : Jammu and Kashmir UNO : United Nations Organization USSR : Union of Soviet Socialist and Republic Maulana Azad Library, Aligarh Muslim University Map I: Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir and its Main Adminsitrative Divisions (1846-19470 Source:Maulana Zutshi, Chitralekha, Azad Library, Languages Aligarh of Belonging: Muslim Islam, University Regional Identity and the Making of Kashmir, Permanent black, New Delhi, 2003. Introduction INTRODUCTION Press is a way of free expression or a way of communication. It has become a powerful social institution. Its purpose is not only to highlight the social, political and economic issues but also to educate, inform and instruct the general masses. Besides a profession, press is an adventurous exploration into the serious and trivial things of life. In modern times