Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on Sunday urged journalists to wake up to their much-needed accountability in the interest of the country while seeking their right to freedom as members of the fourth pillar of the Constitution.
Oram said this while addressing mediapersons on the occasion of National Press Day-2014 held at the Jaydev Bhavan here. Senior Journalist and working president of the National Journalist Welfare Board Pradosh Patnaik presided over the function.
The Union Minister also assured that he would take up issues like provision of security and incentives for working journalists with the Central Government soon.
Attending as chief speaker, School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said, “It has been a need of hour for the Media to raise voice for the voiceless while maintaining relationship with all the three pillars of the Constitution in this period of globalisation,”
Cine star and Rajya Sabha member Anubhab Mohanty opined that the future of the country depends on Journalists’ pen. “Politics is not a solution to all problems. Hence, mediapersons should not connect all problems to politics and thereby uphold their self-respect,” he said.
Sambad Editor Soumya Ranjan Patnaik said the Press people should rise above mere demands of packages and privileges and go ahead mastering people’s voice. MP Pinaki Misra termed journalism as a profession of sacrifice.
Ten senior journalists were provided pension on behalf of the welfare board. The Rabi Mohanty Smaraki Samman and the Gopalkrushna Smaraki Samman were given to journalism students Madhurima and Kalyan Kumar Sahoo, respectively.
Welfare Board general secretary Sanat Mishra delivered welcome address at the outset of the meeting. The meeting concluded with the vote of tanks proposed by vice-president Pradyumna Mohanty.