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Chandigarh, September 12: Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki today called upon the members of the fourth estate to work on the agenda of creating public awareness on some basic issues to save democracy while doing introspection about their duties to society and expressed the opinion that in case they donned this role, they won’t have to demand respect as this would automatically provide them dignified space.
Addressing opening session of national conclave of Indian Journalists Union here hosted by its Punjab unit, Solanki, who is also the Chandigarh Administrator, said everybody should realise as to what was his or her duty towards society and what could one contribute for the country. In This context, he talked about creating public awareness as the role of the media persons to save democracy.
He talked about rights and duties, transparent governance and end to favouritism.
He expressed himself against VIP culture and asserted the government was for the people and not for these VIPs.
In the context of the menace of paid news in the media, he referred to what he called paid service in administration, meaning role of corruption.
He assured that he would accommodate demands of the journalists provided the same were submitted in writing.
Punjab Education minister Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema said the self-introspection being done by the media persons were appreciable. He talked at length about the role that the media was playing for the betterment of society.
Dr Cheema listed various steps taken by the Punjab government for the welfare of journalists and said the state government would address all the concerns of the journalists.
Earlier, IJU President S N Sinha raised some basic issues that included contract system and paid new that he described as a blot.
He called for bringing visual media under the ambit of the Working Journalists Act. He stressed the need for setting up press academy for journalists in Chandigarh.
Another issue that he referred to was health insurance for journalists with contribution from the state governments concerned. He also demanded enactment of legislation for protection of journalists.
Earlier, Punjab IJU President Balwinder Jammu and General Secretary Pritam Singh Rupal welcomed the delegates.
