Different posts on social media platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp and others are making rounds that Gita Press Gorakhpur is about to close.
One such post reads, “SAD news. Gita Press Gorakpur is about to close. Gita Press is not in a position to pay if Gita press closes, that will be a great loss to the Hindu religion. We can’t get even a tea of fewer than 10 rs, but you can get Hanuman Chalisa for 1 or 2 Rs. published by Gita Press.” Another post claimed that they were looking for donations and urged the public to donate to Gita Press.
Gita Press is not closing down
The rumours that Gita Press is shutting down are absolutely baseless. OpIndia has recently got in touch with Lalmani Tiwari, the Manager of Gita Press and talked in detail about the Press and the rumours that often find their way to the social media platforms about its closure. Tiwari told OpIndia that the root of the rumour goes back to 2015 when some of the employees went on strike.
At that time, they had alleged that the publication house was not paying them enough. The case went to the authorities, and later it was found that the Gita Press was paying above the minimum wages as suggested by the government. The case should have been ended there, but the rumours never stopped.
Tiwari said, “Every now and then, we hear such rumours have found the way back to the social media platforms. We do not need charity or donations. Since 2015, we have expanded our Press exponentially and even during Covid time, we have installed a new German Printing Press.” He further added that they had to remove their account details from the website because people had started sending donations.
“If someone sends us a cheque as a donation, we humbly reply to them with a letter of appreciation and return the cheque. Gita Press Gorakhpur is doing well, and we prefer to serve the community with our books,” he added.
Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan’s statement
In June, Ravi Kishan, who is MP from Gorakhpur, visited Gita Press. In his video statement, he said, “It is a large campus covering two lakh square feet. I have seen Japanese, Italian and German printing machines that I haven’t seen before. These machines cost anywhere between Rs.5 crore and Rs.15 crore. Every month the Press pays salaries that clocks close to Rs.80 lakh. I want to put a full stop to the rumours that Gita Press Gorakhpur needs any funds or financing. The Press continuously prints lakhs of books in 15 different languages.”
अद्भुत कार्य #गोरखपुर के प्रसिद्ध गीता प्रेस गोरखपुर में किया जा रहा है l
— नितीश बलिया (Nitish Kr Mishra) (@BaliyaNitish) June 10, 2021
अध्यात्म और साहित्य के क्षेत्र में पंहुचा और व्यवस्थाओ क़ो देखा सुन्दर और बेहतरीन प्रयास. सांसद श्री #रवि_किशन जी@ravikishann @seepi20 @iSinghApurva pic.twitter.com/O0IHklCqf8
He further added that Gita Press does not take even a single rupee in donations and urged everyone not to donate in the name of Gita Press.
गोरखपुर गीता प्रेस
— राजू राष्ट्रवादी (@Raju39349267) June 22, 2021
गीता प्रेस के बारे में जो कुछ लोग भ्रम फैला रहे हैं कृपया ऐसा ना करें।
सांसद रवि किशन जी pic.twitter.com/Sq7TdLa2rw
Scam artists might be at play to collect money illegally
While talking to OpIndia, Lalmani Tiwari said that there had been reports where people tried to collect money in the name of donations for Gita Press. He said, “We do not take donations and have never asked anyone to collect money on our behalf. If you find any message circulating regarding donations to Gita Press, do not fall for it as it could be a scam.”
About Gita Press
Hanuman Prasad Poddar had founded Gita Press in 1923 in Eastern Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district. It is the largest publisher of Hindu religious texts.
