I & B Minister Anurag Thakur cautions media against narratives that threaten India's integrity
Kochi, Mar 18: Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday urged the media fraternity in the country to remain cautious and desist from giving its space to narratives that threaten the nation's integrity.
Unsubstantiated and illogical opinions, delivered freely from within or abroad, could not destroy the democratic nature of the country, he added.
His remarks came against the backdrop of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's statement in London that democracy in the country was under "brutal attack", besides the controversial documentary on Gujarat riots by BBC.
"I urge the media fraternity to remain cautious and desist from giving its space intentionally or unintentionally to such voices and narratives that have the potential to threaten the integrity of India," he said.
Thakur was speaking while participating as a special guest at the valedictory ceremony of the centenary celebrations of eminent Malayalam daily "Mathrubhumi".
He said there is a proverb that states facts are sacred and opinion is free.
"I want to emphasise here that the democratic nature of our great nation will always remain a fact, no matter how many unsubstantiated and illogical opinions are delivered freely from within or abroad," Thakur said, and called upon organisations like Mathrubhumi to develop an effective mechanism to counter these kinds of fake narratives and anti-India bias.
Noting that the advent of newer technologies presents a unique opportunity to break barriers, the Minister said, "however there lurks a growing danger of digital colonialism on platforms run by algorithms coded offshore behind the walls of transparency."
"We must remain cautious not to accept anything and everything in the name of innovation and modernity. Foreign publications, companies and organisations with inherent anti-India bias peddling distorted facts must be identified and called out. Here the Indian media which understands the ground reality will have to play a crucial role", Thakur said.
Thakur said these days the word 'democracy' is heard often in public discourse; a noble principle of governance has been reduced to a fashion statement by those who have constantly tried to weaken democracy and its institutions in our country. Violators are now pretending to be victims, he said in an apparent dig the Congress
"We must remember that unlike Western countries, democracy is not an artificial implant on India it is an integral and indestructible part of our civilisational history. The sabhas and samitis that existed in other parts of Bharat Varsha, also existed in what is now known as Kerala. Democracy existed then, it exists now, and it shall exist in the future too".
"But what is amazing is how the 'bhakshak', dressed in white tee-shirt, is trying to project itself as the 'rakshak' of democracy," he said, in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi.
Thakur also criticised the Congress for dismissing the Left government of Kerala in 1959.
"Unable to tolerate the fact that the people of Kerala had not voted the ruling party to power, the Government of the time invoked Article 356 of the newly-minted Constitution of India to sack the Left Government. The Congress got away with impunity. It was the first gross misuse of the Constitution", the minister said.
Thakur also alleged that subsequently, the Congress government 'abused' Article 356 to sack 93 State governments, striking blow after severe blow to democracy in India, pulping political diversity and making political differences a punishable offence.
Noting that the print medium, especially the newspapers hold a significant position in upholding the credibility of news, he said from colonial times it enjoyed the power of shaping the public opinion and still does so.
From Kerala to Kashmir, among the many threads that unite the diverse people of this great nation, possibly the strongest is their belief that India is their motherland their karmabhumi and punyabhumi. he said.
"The newspaper (Mathrubhumi) Kesava Menon founded is a tribute to this unshakeable belief. Unfortunately, and I mean it literally, there are some who do not believe so. For them, India is not their motherland. They have a fatherland5 which is a foreign country from where they derive their foreign ideology," he said.
"Then there are those who misquote the Constitution and have no knowledge of the Constituent Assembly debates, to describe our nation as a mere Union of States. This shapes their narrow, spiteful politics, which, in many ways, is alien to the core identity of India", he said.
Referring to the recent incidents of attacks on offices and studios of news organisations, "simply because they do not toe the line" and sacking of journalists "for defying the certain version of news", the minister said such outrageous assaults weaken democracy and its institutions.
He also referred to alleged political attacks on RSS workers in Kerala.
"It is as outrageous and unacceptable,5 the ceaseless attacks on those who hold a different political view and have strong feelings for their Motherland in Kerala. The brutal attempt to silence them has failed. I pay my humble tribute to those men and women who stood up for their Dharma and whose only fault was that they were associated with the RSS. The attacks on them weaken democracy; their courage, forbearance and steadfastness strengthens democracy", Thakur said.
In his speech, Thakur also recalled the contribution of late M P Veerendra Kumar, who oversaw the rapid growth of Mathrubhumi.
The programme, inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, was also attended by a host of dignitaries including the state Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, Law Minister P Rajeeve and Revenue Minister P Rajan.
Mathrubhumi Managing Director M V Shreyamskumar presided over the function.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
