RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Shri Arun Kumar speaking at the inaugural session
Media experts join ‘Prerna Vimarsh 2020’ held at Gautam Buddh University, from February 7 to 9
Ajay Mittal
Greater Noida: A three-day discussion on media, social media and films was organised by Prerna Media, an organisation inspired by RSS ideals of Bharatiyta and its rejuvenation, and Gautam Buddha University (GBU). About a thousand participants from print and electronic media media students and teachers, film personalities and writers deliberated on how best the media can be brought closer to Bharatiya culture.
Inaugurating the discussion, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Shri Arun Kumar asked the audience not to read Wikipedia and other foreign sources if they wanted to understand Bharat and its culture. These foreigners were themselves groping in the dark about Bharat. And they even have tried to malign Bharat.
GBU Vice Chancellor Prof. Bhagwati Prakash called for retention of elements of Bharatiya heritage in the field of mass communication. Media must keep in mind that whatever it puts out has a tremendous effect over the society. It, therefore, must be balanced.
Group editor of Amar Ujala Udai Kumar said the greatest capital of Bharat is its positiveness. Bharat has been saying for thousands of years ‘sarve bhavantu sukhinah’, ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam, and ‘aatmvat sarvbhooteshu’. These elements make Bharatiya culture great. Chief editor of News 24 Anuradha Prasad said our media derives its existence from Devarishi Narad. During the British Raj, journalists like Raja Ram Mohan Rai, Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai awakened social consciousness. But after Independence, business mentality took over. The mission gave way to profession. The bazaar began to dictate what to publicise and what not. Most of our media is in the grip of this bazaar mentality.
Executive editor of Dainik Jagran Vishnu Tripathi said Hindi media had no danger to its credibility. Panchjanya editor Shri Hitesh Shankar recalled many illustrious journalists who worked during freedom movement to arouse the awareness of the nation to face fearlessly the colonialist tormentors. DD News anchor Shri Ashok Shrivastav felt that some journos did not consider them Bharatiya at all.
A highlight of the programme was a festival of short films (of 2 minutes to 10 minutes duration) on subjects like patriotism, nationalism, Bharatiya culture, swachchhta (cleanliness), the menace of pollution, tree plantation, national reconstruction, developmental activities, great personalities of Indian history, inspiring historical events etc. More than a hundred entries were received of which 3 were awarded cash prizes and citations. Documentaries of less than 15 minutes length, on same subjects, were also screened and awards distributed. Mahabharata fame Shri Gajendra Chauhan shared his views.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla advised the media to realise that in the interest of democracy, a free, fair and impartial media is indispensable. RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sampark Pramukh Shri Ramlal advised journalism students to read Tilak, Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi and Baburav Paradkar to become worthy journalists.
