Editor-in-chief | Lala Mulkraj Saraf |
---|---|
Founded | 24 June 1924 |
Language | Urdu language |
Ceased publication | 18 May 1950 |
Headquarters | Jammu |
Ranbir ( Urdu: رنبیر) was a daily Urdu language newspaper published from Jammu, India. [1] [2] It was the first daily newspaper in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ranbir was founded and edited by Lala Mulkraj Saraf. [2] [3] He had previously worked as sub-editor of Lala Lajpat Rai's nationalist organ Bande Mataram. [3] Saraf had negotiated for some time to obtain the permission from the Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir to publish Ranbir as a statewide weekly. [4] [5]
The newspaper was named after Maharaja Ranbir Singh. [4] The first issue of Ranbir was published on 24 June 1924. [4] [5] Ranbir would become the first daily newspaper in Jammu and Kashmir. [2] The newspaper was printed at the Government Press. [6] Instantly after its foundation, the paper gained a wide readership in the state. [5]
In May 1930 Maharaja Hari Singh issued a ban on Ranbir (accusing it of 'subversive propaganda'), following an article about an agitation in Jammu related to the arrest of Mahatma Gandhi in British India. [4] [6] [3] [7] The Maharaja argued that Ranbir had, in its 7 May 1930 (Baisakh 25, 1987) issue exaggerated the participation figures in the Jammu protest and that the newspaper had false alluded that the Maharaja himself would have supported the protests. [7] The newspaper was allowed to resume publication in November 1931. [4] This period was marked by increased pressure towards responsible government in Jammu and Kashmir, a movement that Ranbir supported. [3]
The newspaper was banned in June 1947, following having demanded accession to India and urged for the release of Sheikh Abdullah. [8] The ban was eventually lifted and Ranbir re-appeared in September 1947. In the following years Ranbir was an important mouthpiece of the anti-Pakistani tendency in Jammu and Kashmir. [3] Ranbir was finally closed down on 18 May 1950. [4]