Newspapers and media crucial to protecting democratic ethos of the nation: Vice President
The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu today highlighted the crucial role of media in protecting the democratic ethos of the nation and urged the media to provide news and information in an objective and unbiased manner.
Participating in the ‘Tunga Panduga’ celebration organized in Nellore on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the weekly ‘Lawyer’, he expressed his concern over the degeneration of values in various fields, including journalism. He called upon the media to uphold high standards and promote value-based journalism.
Recalling the vital role played by newspapers during the freedom movement, he said that many leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, heralded social movements through magazines and newspapers. Today too, the media is playing an important role in building awareness among the people and cited how it transformed the Swachh Bharat campaign into a public movement.
Observing that media should always uphold the values of truth, integrity and accuracy, Shri Naidu said they should not succumb to other pressures. He urged media houses to focus on issues relating to agriculture, rural development and women empowerment. He suggested newspapers and electronic media to have some dedicated space and programming for agricultural issues.
The Vice President lauded the journalist fraternity who have worked tirelessly during the COVID pandemic and brought the much-needed awareness on COVID-appropriate behavior and the need to take vaccines. He paid tributes to journalists who lost their lives during the pandemic and conveyed his condolences to their families.
Launching a coffee table book, Shri Naidu lauded the founders and management of the ‘Lawyer’ weekly for their consistent and determined efforts in successfully running the newspaper for 40 years.
Shri Vemireddy Prabhakara Reddy, Member, Rajya Sabha, Shri Magunta Sreenivasula Reddy, Member, Lok Sabha, Shri G. Satheesh Reddy, DRDO Chairman, Shri Varaprasad Reddy, Founder-Chairman, Santha Biotech, Shri Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation, Shri Tunga Siva Prabhat Reddy, Editor, Lawyer weekly and others participated in the event.
MS/RK/DP
(Release ID: 1771273)