Dr. Janardan Rai

Ballia, 04 August (HS). Martyr journalist Ramdahin Ojha is included in the category of great men in the tradition of writing and reading. Those who read the book written on Ramdahin Ojha and implement it in their life can create history even today. These words were said by the senior litterateur of the district, Dr. Janardan Rai. He was addressing a program organized in a hotel in the city on Sunday to discuss the book written by Dr. Prabhat Ojha on martyr journalist Ramdahin Ojha.

While presiding over the programme, he said that every moment of Ramdahin Ojha's life is inspiring. Shri Rai said that Ramdahin Ojha was a man of multi-faceted personality. He dedicated himself to the country since childhood. With increasing age, he also mastered writing. This can be gauged from the fact that Mahatma Gandhi also gave importance to his writing. While praising the grandson of martyr Ramdahin, he said that by bringing such detailed information about the personality of a freedom fighter in front of everyone, he has inspired the youth. President of Freedom Fighter Utpadhak Sangathan, Dr. Shivkumar Kaushikya said that the youth have the greatest responsibility to take inspiration from the lives of freedom fighters. Because the reins of the country are on the shoulders of the youth. Poet Dr. Shashi Singh Premdev said that Ramdahin Ojha served the country through his poems. The kind of writing he did since childhood is ideal for today's youth.

Environmentalist Dr. Ganesh Pathak said that there are many aspects of martyr journalist Ramdahin Ojha's life that inspire us. The publication of a book on him will increase the respect for freedom fighters even more. Earlier, at the beginning of the program, Dr. Prabhat Ojha, the author of the book Shaheed Patrakar Ramdahin Ojha, introduced the topic and said that after primary education, Ramdahin Ojha went to Calcutta (now Kolkata) with his father Ramsuchit Ojha for further studies. There, along with education, his interest in the revolutionary movements going on in Bengal grew. With time, he also got associated with Gandhiji's peaceful movement. He started writing in many newspapers and magazines from Calcutta itself. Then he edited 'Shekhawati Samachar', 'Ballia Samachar' and 'Yugantar'. Yugantar was a Hindi weekly, which was different from the Bengali Yugantar. He said that despite being a Gandhian fighter, Ramdahin Ojha was respected even among the youth of the violent revolutionary stream. That's why on the night of his last arrest a bomb exploded at a place in Ballia and bomb material was found near the SP's bungalow.

He told that Pandit Ramdahin Ojha (17 February, 1901-18 February, 1931) was a journalist and freedom fighter. It is believed that Pandit Ramdahin Ojha was the first martyr of a journalist in the non-cooperation movement. Dr. Prabhat Ojha said that instead of admitting the date of release of Ramdahin Ojha in the government records during his jail visits, there is no date of release, this fact puts the then government and administration in the dock. Many great men of the country also demanded an inquiry regarding this. On this occasion, the meeting was also addressed by Bansdih Nagar Panchayat Chairman Sunil Singh Sevak, Karunanidhi Tiwari, theatre artist Ashish Trivedi, Dr. Bhavatosh Pandey, Santosh Singh, Kamlesh Tiwari, Anil Singh, Anil Pandey, Ratnakar Rai, Bunty Rai, Deepak Singh etc.