Gujarat Governor Acharya Devabrata Ji felicitated five Odia scribes at Gandhinagar on the occasion of the Indian Journalists’ Union (IJU) national executive council (NEC) meet held on February 19 and 20.
While senior journalist and president of Odisha Union of Working Journalists Sugyan Choudhury was felicitated on his being elected as NEC member of IJU New Delhi, Asutosh Rath, Shyam Sundar Rout, Pabitra Kumar Patra and Paramananda Mishra were accorded hearty welcome as special invitees.
The two-day meet here discussed threadbare on the threat to media. Exhorting the media representatives from all across the country, chief guest Acharya Devabrata reminded the media people of their indispensable role as makers of India’s destiny by remaining ever vigilant to the cause of the nation and society at large.
Noted scribe Ved Prakash Vaidik ( interviewer of Hafiz Saeed) narrated his experiences of daredevilry of interviewing Saheed.
Delivering his presidential address, IJU president Kishan Bal Pandit came down heavily on the corporate houses and political leaders owning media houses who were squeezing the service conditions of journalists and forcing them to wallow in penury.
He urged the PM to decisively intervene in the affairs of mediapersons and preserve, protect and defend the freedom of Press. Mediapersons from Karnataka, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi, Bihar, Odisha and Gujarat assembled on the occasion.
A memorandum to the PM was submitted by Pandit through the Governor of Gujarat for the welfare of the journalist fraternity. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks by IJU secretary general Murugesh B Shivpuji.