UNLESS DEMOCRACY IS STRENGTHENED PRESS FREEDOM CAN’T EXIST SAY SENIOR Journalist URMILESH AT DUJ MEET

Press freedom will be at stake till the democracy of the nation is not strengthened. If democracy exists, media freedom will automatically exist but unfortunately in India the fourth pillar of democracy seems to be in danger as in the global index India shockingly stands on 161 position out of 180 countries of the world with a score of 36. 62. This is indeed a distressing trend as this global survey on media freedom is very authentic carried out by the prestigious body called Reporters Without Borders finally publishing it after adequate meticulous survey in all countries meeting journalists, social activists, intellectuals, commoners, various human rights bodies and what not. Speaking the other day in Delhi Union of Journalists Office at Shankar Market, near Super Bazaar, New Delhi, eminent journalist and outspoken thinker Urmilesh said that small countries like Sweden, Estonia, Switzerland etc are top on democratic freedom rankings whom we used to called capitalist nations when young but their record as open and free democracies have been fantastic doing tremendously well in terms of media freedom among global nations. What is most anguishing and shocking is the fact that countries like Nepal and Pakistan are beating us in the global press freedom index with India stepping down by 11 numbers, a sorry state of affairs indeed. Addressing the DUJ members and officer bearers for about half an hour eloquent veteran journalist Urmilesh while castigating the the present ruling dispensation at the centre without specifically mentioning BJP said that when the freedom movement for liberalising India from colonial British was on its peak there were different political forces at work like Gandhi, Nehru representing Congress, leftists, Ambedkar though from Congress and Constitution maker but very much a member British Princely Council etc but another force which had nothing to do with freedom struggle was busy working on an idea to take India back to medieval times and feudal era when India attains freedom and unfortunately that very ideology oriented political force is ruling the nation taking India backwards to feudal era leading to division and encouraging reactionary forces to meet its narrow political ends. He referred to the new Bajrangbali factor being imposed on the people of Karnataka during elections which is strictly forbidding under various clauses of Indian Constitution and that too by the supreme force of the ruling dispensation, emphasized veteran journalist Urmilesh. Speaking at length on weakening of our democracy and media freedom the veteran journalist said that if the democracy of a nation is weak, the media freedon will automatically be at stake. Veteran journalist Urmilesh catagorically said that the educational institutions are being degraded and society being divided on narrow considerations leading to press freedom under constant attack. He appealed to one and all to fight these divisive and autocratic tendencies if we really want to protect and safeguard our democracy and this the press freedom. The veteran journalist and inspiring force behind DUJ Mr. Pandey introduced the new office bearers and executive of Delhi Union of Journalists and thanked those present for their support and pivotal presence on this occasion reiterating the DUJ’s commitment to relentlessly continue its struggle for protection of journalists and media freedom.