Parsis made silent but immense contribution to India's development: Amit Shah

Mumbai: Union minister Amit Shah on Sunday said Parsis have made silent but immense contribution to India's development, and lauded the role of Gujarati newspaper Mumbai Samachar in that journey.

Speaking after releasing documentary film 'Mumbai Samachar- 200 Not Out', which chronicles the remarkable 200-year journey of Asia's oldest newspaper, Shah said the Camas, who run it, exemplify journalism of trust.

"We must respect Parsi families like the Camas, who still speak Gujarati and run a newspaper in the language. I want to say to those who fight for the rights of minorities that if there is any true minority among minorities, then it is the Parsi community. Without ever struggling for rights, they have lived their lives focussing on their duties," Shah said.

Without ever making any demand, they have contributed to every field, he added.

They did their duty in fields like governance, industry, Information Technology, fintech, atomic science as well as winning the war that gave birth to Bangladesh (an apparent reference to Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw), Shah added.

Shah said his prayer was that all communities are like the Parsis, which without making demands went about contributing in a stellar way in various sectors that will never be forgotten by the country.

Speaking about Mumbai Samachar, which entered its 203rd year of publication, he said the newspaper has become an integral part of the identity of the country's financial capital.

Terming it as a trusted news organization, he recalled an an old saying that everything printed in Mumbai Samachar is true.

Admitting that he learnt about the newspaper when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came here (in June) in connection with its bicentennial celebrations, Shah said, ""Dynasties don't last 200 years here but a newspaper has lasted for so long."

Lauding the feat, Shah underlined that it was more difficult for a regional newspaper to survive for such a long time.

Oldest newspaper in Asia

It is probably the only (surviving) newspaper that reported on the death of Rani of Jhansi (on June 18, 1858) as well as cover PM Modi's oath-taking ceremony in 2014, Shah said to give the gathering an idea of the iconic daily's journey spanning many generations.

The cause for which Rani of Jhansi sacrificed her life was fulfilled by a Gujarati who took oath as PM in 2014, Shah emphasised. "A leader and a journalist or newspaper with no ideology cannot do good work," he asserted at the event, where Hormusji N Cama, managing director of Mumbai Samachar, was present.

'Mumbai Samachar- 200 Not Out' delves into the newspaper's pivotal role in the freedom movement, its unwavering commitment to unbiased reporting and the secrets behind its enduring success.

The documentary was released simultaneously in 40 countries, offering a historical perspective not only for Mumbai Samachar but also for the entire newspaper industry.

The trailer for 'Mumbai Samachar- 200 Not Out' was launched by PM Modi at the newspaper's bicentenary event in June 2022.

Shah asked documentary makers to dub it in Hindi and English for wider reach. "Our languages are our heritage. If we cut ourselves from a language, we also go away from the culture. If a grandfather and grandson do not speak the same language, there will be no bond between them," Shah said.

He said a new Hindi dictionary had been compiled in which nearly 22,831 new words have been added. Languages should exchange words and concepts, Shah said.

"India will become number 1 in all fields by 2047. India is already seen as a bright spot in a dark zone globally. Very soon Bharat will become the world's third largest economy," the Union minister asserted. Heaping praise on the newspaper, he exuded confidence that Mumbai Samachar would march to its 300th anniversary in the same emphatic manner.