Role of Press and Indian Freedom Struggle: All Through the Gandhian Era

The public in India know very little of the journalists, while even politicians have only an imperfect appreciation of their difficulties. The setting up of the All-India Newspaper Editors' Conference and the publication of its periodical proceedings have made the politicians as well as the public realize in a general way that pressmen have their own problems concerning the people and the Government. The Nehru-Liaqat Agreement of April 1950 has been followed by a joint session of the Standing Committees of the All-India Newspaper Editors' Conference and of the Pakistan Newspaper Editors' Conference held in New Delhi, at which a complete understanding was reached as to the measures necessary to implement the Agreement so far as the pressmen of both the countries are concerned. This itself is the most significant development for which 1950 will be memorable in the annals of journalism as in the field of politics or statesmanship, bringing into bolder relief the close relationship between the Government and the Press in the interests of democracy and people's welfare.