Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 5: People from every walk of life today condoled the demise of Daily Excelsior Editor-in-Chief S D Rohmetra.
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed deep sorrow and grief on the sad demise of Rohmetra and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
“I share pain and grief of the bereaved family’’, Mr Azad said in a statement issued here.
Describing Rohmetra as leading light of journalism, the Health Minister said Rohmetra kept the flame of free expression ablaze even in trying circumstances. “Rohmetra’s contribution to the growth of print media in J&K is priceless and shall be remembered for many years to come’’, he added.
Admiring the indefatigable spirit of Rohmetra, Azad said that after making a humble beginning, he worked tirelessly to make Excelsior as the largest circulated daily of the State.
Governor NN Vohra, condoling the demise said he was saddened to learn about the death of Rohmetra, who had contributed significantly to the development of English journalism in the State.
Mr Vohra conveyed his sympathies to members of the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soil.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the society had lost a friend and a noble soul in the death of Rohmetra. He said the demise has created void in journalist fraternity, which was difficult to be filled up.
Describing Rohmetra as an iconic and reputed journalist, Omar said that his contribution in the field has been laudable.
“People will miss Rohmetra as their friend, a writer and Editor of quality’’, he said.
The entire Council of Ministry condoled the death of Rohmetra and prayed for peace to departed soul and courage to bereaved family to bear the loss.
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah, in his condolence message, said that the void created by the demise of Rohmetra in journalistic fraternity was difficult to be filled up. He expressed solidarity with the bereaved family.
Former Chief Minister and PDP patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti have expressed deep shock over the death of Rohmetra.
In their condolence message, the Muftis described Rohmetra as icon of journalism, who contributed a lot in the growth of English journalism in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Rohmetra as a journalist had contributed a lot for betterment of the society’’, they said.
PDP spokesman Nayeem Akhtar and other party leaders Thakur Balbir Singh, Ved Mahajan and Falail Singh also paid tributes to Rohmetra.
Legislative Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra and Assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone condoled the sad demise of Rohmetra and prayed for peace to the departed soil.
Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra recalled his long association with Rohmetra and his contribution to the promotion of healthy journalism in the State. He said Rohmetra was a courageous journalist, who always reported facts fearlessly and the Daily Excelsior under his able guidance produced many young journalists, who became shining stars of the media world.
Mr Rajendra said the contribution made by leading daily in the State during the turmoil period by way of supplementing and complimenting the efforts of Government and security agencies would be remembered by one and all for times to come.
Mahant Manjit Singh Ji, Dera Nangali Sahib, in a message, conveyed his deep condolences on the demise of Rohmetra and prayed for peace to the departed soul.
Political Advisor to Chief Minister Devender Singh Rana has expressed deep sorrow and grief over the demise of Rohmetra.
Medical Education Minister RS Chib, in a message from New Delhi, said he was deeply shocked over the death of Rohmetra. He added that the void created in the death of Rohmetra will remain unfulfilled.
Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma said he was shocked to learn about the sad demise of Rohmetra. “The State has lost a great visionary and intellectual person, who made his mark in the field of journalism’’, he added.
In separate statements, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather and Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla have also condoled the death of Rohmetra.
Mr Rather described Rohmetra as a bold journalist, who without compromising on the principles of journalism, highlighted the issues of public importance in his newspaper to seek redressal of their grievances.
Mr Bhalla described Rohmetra as a pioneer in journalism.
BJP MP and national spokesman Tarun Vijay and BJP state spokesman and national executive member Dr Jitendra Singh said Rohmetra was an institution in himself, who championed the cause of voiceless and fought valiantly against the fissiparous tendencies holding the honour of the tricolor high and supreme.
“I had an occasion to meet Rohmetra briefly two years before in Jammu and he was worried about the national affairs. An amenable and soft spoken person, he symbolized the best in Indian journalism. My humble ‘shradhanjali’ to him and prayers to the Almighty to give peace to the departed soul at his lotus feet’’, Tarun Vijay said.
Dr Jitendera Singh said Rohmetra’s sad demise had left a vacuum in the journalism, which will be hard to fulfill.
PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz said he was deeply hurt over the sad demise of Rohmetra.
“A very competent and well versed person in the profession of journalism, Rohmetra wielded a powerful pen on events and used analysis on social and political situations in the world. I consider his death as a personal loss apart from a major loss to the fraternity of journalists in the State’’, Prof Soz said.
Veteran separatist leaders including Hurriyat Conference (moderate) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and Bilal Lone have expressed shock and condolences over the demise of Rohmetra.
Describing Rohmetra as journalist of principles, the separatist leaders conveyed their sympathies to the family members of deceased.
CPM state secretary M Y Tarigami has also expressed shock and grief over the sad demise of Rohmetra.
While paying tributes to the departed soul, Tarigami said that his enormous contribution to the journalism would be remembered forever.
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