ABP Centenary: Anandabazar Patrika Has Always Played A Courageous & Positive Role, Says Amartya Sen

Speaking at Anandabazar Patrika's centenary celebrations, Amartya Sen said the role of Anandabazar Patrika gave people hope at a time when strong thinking was the need of the hour.

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen said on Saturday Anandabazar Patrika had always played a courageous and positive role in the Indian media landscape ever since the newspaper's inception 100 years ago in 1922. In a virtual address at Anandabazar Patrika's centenary celebrations, Amartya Sen said the role of Anandabazar Patrika gives people hope at a time when strong thinking is the need of the hour.

"Anandabazar Patrika has always played a courageous and positive role. Even today, when there is a special need for strong thinking, their role gives us hope," the noted economist said.

The octogenarian said Anandabazar Patrika's launch on March 13, 1922, was a day of happiness. Sen quoted the then editor of the paper, Prafulla Kumar Sarkar, as saying that Anandabazar Patrika would become the center of unity for all Bengalis.

"The day was Dol Purnima and, the first day's paper was printed in red. At that time, this was the centre of discussion at the leading English newspaper, The Englishman. The newspaper said about the new daily that the colour (red) was a dangerous signal," Amartya Sen further said.

The celebrated economist said Anandabazar Patrika plays significant role in communal harmony. "Poverty and the plight of women in our country is sad. Anandabazar's role in bringing out such stories to the citizens is significant," Sen said.

Sen, who was awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, said during the British rule several people, including his relatives, were sent to prison due to political reasons. "Some of them used to work for Anandabazar and Hindustan Standard. During my early days, I had the experience of meeting and interacting with them in prison," he said. 

While saying that most of the hopes of Independence have been fulfilled, Sen underlined that imprisonment for political reasons despite not being proven guilty was still going on in our country.

"Political imprisonment without guilt continues in our country even after Independence. Free-thinking people and those espousing progressive political thinking are being beaten by the government. These people are often praised from outside the country," he further said.

Amartya Sen said communal politics was embarrassing the people of the country. Mentioning JNU student-activist Umar Khalid, Sen said people were being sent to prison without judgment. Umar Khalid has been arrested in connection with inflammatory speeches given during the 2020 Delhi riots.