PUNE: With the issue of “paid news” apparently weighing heavily on his mind, President Pranab Mukherjee today made a strong pitch for self-correcting mechanisms to check any aberrations.
“Regulation and restraint cannot come from any external source, but internally from system itself… from self-imposed code of conduct,” Mukherjee said here.
Noting that media has an important role to play in a democracy, he said newspapers must be keepers of the conscience of the country.
They have to be active participants in the continuing endeavor to nurture a democratic republic committed to achieving justice and securing the fundamental freedoms to all its citizens.
“Democracy is not just a government of the people, for the people and by the people. It can be institutionalized only through constant dialogue.
“The media as a whole not only keeps people informed but also performs a very crucial function of presenting ideas and alternatives in the domain of policy formulation and implementation,” he said at a function where he presented the ‘Punyabhushan Award’ to Pratap Pawar, head of the Sakal Group of newspapers.
Congratulating Pawar, the President said his contributions to Indian media through Sakal Media group as also to the industrial development of the region and social activities was well known.
Former Union Minister Sharad Pawar, the elder brother of Pratap, said that the influence of their mother Sharda has helped them work for the larger social cause.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed the efforts of Pratap Pawar and the voluntary women’s groups set up in the countryside by Sakal to promote the government’s program of water conservation.
Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao presided over the function.
Iconic personalities like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, SL Kirloskar, PL Deshpande, yoga guru BKS Iyengar and many others are among the past recipients of the Punyabhushan (Pride of Pune) Award.
Later in the evening, the President attended the sixth convocation of Dr D Y Patil Vidyapeeth where he conferred honorary doctorate on former Union minister Sharad Pawar for his work in the fields of social work and politics and eminent scientist R N Mashelkar.
President’s son and Congress MP from West Bengal Abhijeet Mukherjee was also conferred honorary doctorate for his work in the field of corporate social responsibility.
Speaking at the function, the President said the rich traditions and heritage of the city of Pune are an inspiration to the entire nation.
He appreciated the endeavors of ‘Tridal’, Pune to commemorate the memory of the great trio of our freedom struggle – Shahid Bhagat Singh, Sukhdeo and Rajguru. Rajguru hailed from Khed, adjoining Pune city, which is now named Rajgurunagar after him.
Mukherjee said that he was particularly happy that this award was being conferred in the presence of freedom fighters, who gave their youth to the cause of freedom struggle.
“We must always remember with gratitude the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters. We owe our freedom to them,” the President said.–PTI
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