Journalism was once a mission but today it has crossed the limit even
of professionalism. The arrogance has entered the journalism and
journalists need to be more humble. The journalism can succeed only when
it acquires humility, said Ram Madhav, the National General Secretary
of Bharatiya Janata Party and noted thinker, here today.
Ram Madhav was
speaking at the Devarshi Narad Journalism Awards distribution ceremony
by the Vishwa Samwad Kendra, Pashchim Maharashtra Prant. Senior
journalist Dilip Dharurkar was confered with the Senior Journalist Award
while Mustafa Attar was confered with the Young Journalist Award.
Ganesh Kore was confered with Photographer Award while Shefali Vaidya
was confered with the first ever Social Media Award.
The senior journalist award comprises of Rs. 15 thousand in cash,
memento, shawl and coconut while other awards comprise of Rs. 7.5
thousand in cash, memento, shawl and coconut. Speaking on the occasion,
Ram Madhav said, “The journalist should consider every awards as an
additional responsibility. The scientists make a nuclear bomb in 20
years, but a journalists prepares a nuclear bomb every day. The
journalism was a mission during the independence struggle of India. At
that time, every big leader used the journalism as a means. However,
today journalism has become an industry. There is an urgent need to
bring back the missionary zeal of that era.”
He said that today the journalism has passed the phase of
professionalism and become agitative journalism. “The journalism is
plagued with tendency of defiance. Today’s society is well informed.
Hence, the people today want the humility. The responsibility of the
social media is much more than the mainstream media. The freedom of
expression is important but the freedom of life is absolute. Today the
democratization of the media has taken place in truly and this is good
for the country”. He warned that it would be better if media contributed
to the development of the country, but people wouldn’t tolerate if they
opposed it.
He also touched upon the diminishing sensitivity of the society and
said, “No single person should die in the country. We should explore the
answers to the questions like what is the status of women in today’s
society, whether a woman can become a successful politician and what is
the plight of the dalits.”
The Devarshi Narad Senior Journalist Award was given to Dilip
Dharurkar. He said, “This is an award given to my devotion of a
lifetime. When I started my career, there was intellectual terrorism in
media. To put forward the thoughts of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was
impossible. It is still prevalent today and can be felt everywhere. The
media has to turn to national renaissance now.”
The Young Journalist Award was given to Mustafa Attar. He said, “This
is a felicitation done by the Puneites which is why I am very delighted
with this award. I always strove to take care of the health of the
Puneites during my career of 13 years and I am proud of it. The
satisfaction seen of the faces of the people is the inspiration behind
my work. I will continue to do this work.”
Shefali Vaidya, who received the first ever Social Media Award, said,
“I started writing on internet in 2013. At that time, I had no idea
that my writing would become so popular. Today my writing reaches to
almost 8 lakhs people. This has given me many accolades and awards. I
dedicated this award to my family and my readers. The mainstream media
is trying to sell falsity in the name of popularity. I started writing
against it as a reply from a true citizen.”
In his inaugural address, Kulkarni said, “Now is the age of new
media. That is why we started giving social media awards from this year.
The main work of the Vishwa Samwad Kendra is interacting with the
media. Enlightenment, publication and training are the three pillars of
the Vishwa Samwad Kendra’s work.”
People of Kashmir are ours
Refering to Kashmir, Ram Madhav said that we have to accept not only
the land but the people also of the Kashmir. Kashmir is an integral part
of the India and there can be no discussion on it. The people there
have every right to press for their demands but it should be done in the
framework of the Constitution. Some people there pro-Pakistan in
Kashmir but their number is very low. We have to win over the hearts of
the Kashmiri people to strengthen the nationalist forces there.
