The media must follow the footsteps of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha in serving the country in true sense....Badal
Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabhawas a fearless and upright journalist who played a vanguard role in starting the ‘Ghadar’ newspaper for bringing awareness amongst the masses to uproot the cruel and mighty British Raj...Bada
BONANZA FOR THE JOURNALISTIC FRATERNITY
· PUNJAB CM ANNOUNCES TO SET UP SHAHEED KARTAR SINGH SARABHA JOURNALIST WELFARE FUND FOR EXTENDING A HELPING HAND TO THEM IN HOUR OF CRISIS
· PAYS RICH TRIBUTE TO KARTAR SINGH SARABHA
· CENTENARY FUNCTION OF ‘GHADAR NEWSPAPER’
Sarabha, November 15, 2013
In a big relief to the journalist fraternity, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today announced to constitute Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha Journalist Welfare Fund for bailing out the scribes during any hour of crisis.
Addressing the gathering during a function organized by Punjab Union of Journalist to mark the centenary of ‘Ghadar’ newspaper here at the native village of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, the Chief Minister paid rich tributes to this great national hero who laid down his life at a tender age. He said that Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha was not only a true patriot but also a fearless and upright journalist who played a vanguard role in starting the ‘Ghadar’ newspaper for bringing awareness amongst the masses to uproot the cruel and mighty British Raj. Mr. Badal said that the Ghadar newspaper had set a benchmark for all the other newspapers to propagate the message of national unity and integrity in a fearless manner. “The media must follow the footsteps of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha in serving the country in true sense” he added.
Impressing upon the journalistic fraternity to pursue constructive agenda by shunning the tendency of negative reporting, the Chief Minister said that the media could act as an important catalyst in awakening the people against the social maladies by duly highlighting them. Acceding to the demand of the union, he said that the state government would soon constitute the Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha Journalist Welfare Fund to help the media persons to brave any odd in eventuality of any unforeseen circumstances. Mr. Badal also exhorted the journalists to make all out efforts for promoting the ethos of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood in the state, which was necessary for its overall development. Terming the media as the fourth pillar of democracy, the Chief Minister said that the journalist fraternity should make concerted efforts to highlight the social maladies faced by the country thereby awakening the people to eliminate them.
Lashing out at the Union government, the Chief Minister said that even after more than six decades of independence the successive Congress governments at the centre have ignored the enormous contribution of Punjabis in the national freedom struggle. He said that the Union government was meting out step motherly treatment to the state due to which the development of Punjab has suffered adversely. Advocating the true federal system for the country, Mr. Badal said that it would help in ensuring the holistic development of all the states.
The Chief Minister said that the Congress led Centre government have given a fatal blow to the federal structure of the country by continuously usurping the powers of the states. He said that the policies arbitrarily framed by the centre were resulting in lopsided development of the country due to which the nation was confronting with a large number of problems. Citing an example, Mr. Badal said that the hard working and resilient farmers of the state who have made the country self reliant in food production were on the verge of economic disaster due to the centre’s policy of excessive centralization. “The centre’s decision to enhance the cost of agriculture inputs exorbitantly without giving remunerative MSP to the farmers has broken their backbone” he added.
Interacting with the media persons, the Chief Minister said that the Union government has forced the state government to impose property tax in the state. He said that if the states do not comply with the norms set by the Union government they stop the developmental grants to them as a result of which the growth of the state suffers. However Mr. Badal said that due care has been taken by them while levying this tax so that no burden is put on the people.
Later on the Chief Minister also presided over a sports tournament organized by Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha Sports Club.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by MLA Mr. Manpreet Singh Aiyaali, President Punjab Union of Journalists Mr. Jaspal Singh and President Punjab Saahit Academy Prof. Gurbhajan Gill.
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