News: Shekhar Ajekar
Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)
Madikeri, Feb 21: "Media and media men are our partners in progress. Our government is always committed to this view. At the same time, there is a need for a small section of the media which gets involved with wrong or mistaken reporting, to ponder upon their functioning," said state chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, at the inaugural of the two-day Karnataka State Journalists Convention held at Kaveri Hall here. The convention which began on Friday February 20 concluded today.
"Karnataka has always stood by and respected free, fearless and objective media since even the pre-independence era. Of late however, certain electronic media have resorted to exaggerated and scandalous reporting. The state government always wants to maintain good relationship with the journalists and the media. I request the media men to take care to impose self-restraint on themselves to ensure that exaggerated or distorted reporting does not take place," he requested.
The chief minister pointed out, that he has yielded to four important demands of the journalists and provided budgetary allocation for the four projects in this year's budget. He promised to provide Karnataka State Journalists Union a site in Bangalore, apart from sanctioning a crore of rupees for its building and infrastructure.
All along, the chief minister was dressed in Kodava traditional attire. He was provided a grand welcome to the beating of 'Dudi,' a percussion instrument, 'Ummatat', another musical instrument etc. He was also offered the Kodagu traditional honour, by presenting a sword.
The caricature exhibition organized on the occasion was inaugurated by Kodagu district in-charge minister Krishna J Palemar. In his address, he said that he will put in efforts to see that Karnataka Caroons Academy will become a reality as early as possible.
All the speakers in general, hailed the chief minister as a friend of the media. They said, the chief minister, whenever approached with demands, had plainly told that certain demands of the journalists could not be met, whenever it was not possible for him to consider them and had done whatever he could, for them. By yielding to four important demands in the budget, he has emerged as a model cheif minister, they said. Several of his initiatives including issuance of bus passes to journalists at the district level came in for appreciation.
The grand welcome arch erected was aptly named ' D V Gundappa Dwara' in honour of the late journalist and poet D V Gundappa, The other entrance to the venue was named as 'Kodagu Chandrike Mysore Ranga Rao Dwara' in honour of the publication from Kodagu which has completed 125 years of existence. The dais was named 'Shakti Gopalakrishna Vedike' to commemorate the services to the district offered by the local popular daily 'Shakti'.
Karnataka assembly deputy speaker K G Bopaiah and MLC S G Medappa participated as guests. State Journalists Union president H S Sudhindra Kumar presided.
Veteran personalities Jayasheela Rao, Gangadhar Modaliar, chief minister's media advisor R P Jagadish, Kodagu zilla panchayat president Deerghakeshi Shivanna Madana Gowda, Accommodation Committee president H T Anil, Madikeri municipal president P D Ponnappa, Appaiah, N Raju Mandibele, Rajanna, Yousuf Patel, Lokesh, Murugesh yellappa Talwar, Lata Bangera, Savita Rai etc., were present.
Local MLA Appachu Ranjan released a souvenir brought out to commemorate the occasion. Kodagu District Working Journalists Union president Chi Na Somesh welcomed. State Working Journalists Union secretary Yousuf Patel proposed vote of thanks. 'Shakti' daily editor Chedvilas and his wife sang a soulful and beautiful song on river Kaveri at the function. Kodagu District Journalists Union secretary G V Ravikumar presented a memorandum to the chief minister, spelling out various demands of the journalists. Ananthashayana compered the programme.
On both days, discussions on various topics concerning the duties, rights, problems, responsibilities etc., of journalists were held at the convention.