Indore (Madhya Pradesh): BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said here on Thursday that there was degradation in both journalism and politics and the responsibility of recovery rested with the stakeholders. He made these comments at the inauguration of the three-day Journalism Festival organised by the State Press Club at Ravindra Natyagrah. The theme of fest is: ‘Media: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’.
Vijayvargiya said that this event was being organised in the memory of the late Rajendra Mathur, Rahul Barpute, Prabhas Joshi, Manakchand Vajpayee and Sharad Joshi—all from Indore. “Indore used to be a school of journalism, but, now, that status is long gone. Will we ever get a Rajendra Mathur in future?” he said.
The senior BJP leader stated that journalism used to have a different attitude earlier. “Journalism has played a major role in the development of society. Now, the weight of journalism is getting lighter. It’s up to the mediapersons to think of ways to ensure that journalism gets its glory back,” he said. “Likewise, it’s up to the politicians to restore the lost glory of politics,” he concluded.
Senior journalist Jagdish Chandra Katil, who resigned from the job of IAS to become a journalist, said that, in order to overcome the economic crisis in front of the media, the Prime Minister should create a Journalists’ Rehabilitation Fund.
Senior journalist Rajesh Badal said that Indore was the hub of Hindi journalism. Senior journalists Harish Pathak and Rakesh Pathak also spoke on the occasion.
Free Press senior journalist Milind Lashkari was among the mediapersons who were felicitated on the occasion for their contribution to journalism.
Besides the fest, a three-day photography exhibition was also inaugurated at Pritamlal Dua Sabhagrah.
