Lokrajya Urdu magazine discontinued, SP MLA urges CM to resume publication
Samajwadi Party
MLA Rais Shaikh wrote to chief minister
Devendra Fadnavis
, urging him to resume its publication.
In his letter, Shaikh urged the CM to direct the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) to restart the Urdu edition to cater to Urdu-speaking readers across Maharashtra.
The Lokrajya magazine, first published in Marathi in 1947, was later released in English, Hindi, Gujarati, and Urdu. According to Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) data, Lokrajya is one of the most widely read govt magazines in the country.
"However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Urdu edition was discontinued from April 2020. There are 75 lakh Urdu speakers in state. Urdu is the ninth most spoken language in India and is not limited to any one religion—it's a Hindustani language," said Shaikh.
Citing the legacy of Urdu journalism in the freedom movement and its contribution to Bollywood, Shaikh noted that around 25 dailies are published in Urdu in Maharashtra. "The Urdu edition of Lokrajya served as a crucial source of information on govt schemes and policy decisions," said Shaikh.
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