Prabhat Dash Re-elected OJU President
Addressing the Annual General Body meeting of the Odisha Journalists Union (OJU) on 31 January, 2017 at Bhubaneswar, IJU Secretary General Amar Devulapalli expressed anguish over killing of seven journalists in the country last year. "The State governments are yet to take steps to nab the culprits and bring them to justice. It is sad that the civil society, which should be concerned over the silencing of the practitioners of the fourth estate, is not raising its voice. It is dangerous trend", he said.
He urged upon the Union government to bring a special law for protection of the journalists applicable across the country. He further said "If the society and the intelligentsia do not raise their voice against atrocities and murderous attacks on journalists by the mafia and intolerant sections, democracy and country will suffer." Amar said living and working conditions of journalists, particularly the rural journalists was pathetic and while the managements were denying them statutory wages, the state governments, which were supposed to enforce the laws, remained mute spectators.
Around 500 journalists consisting of Executive Committees members of 30 district units of the Union participated in the meeting. The meeting condoled the death two senior leaders of the OJU, Kesab Senapati, President, Puri District Unit and Lingaraj Sahu, Vice President, Nabarangpur District Unit and observed two minutes silence in their memory.
Chief Guest, Narendra Lamba, Director (Operation) of Sri Sri University, called on the journalists to be more disciplined and pursue ethical journalism. He said the journalists should focus on the problems of the common people and expose those who were obstructing their progress. "Your reportage should be uncompromising and based on facts. You should think of the consequences of your report before filing it. Your report should be in the interest of the society and the nation," he said. He said that meditation help to improve concentration and reduces stress, which was most vital for a successful scribe.
Later the Conference unanimously elected Prabhat Dash as President of the OJU for a third term.
