Maha Dharna’ on Journalists’ Issues — For Whom and For What?
WJI State Vice President Taduru Karunakar Questions Motives
Bharath news Bureau chief Karimnagar, December 2:
Some leaders are staging a “Maha Dharna” not to address the real problems faced by journalists but to cover up their own failures, alleged Working Journalists of India (WJI) State Vice President Taduru Karunakar. He said a few individuals have widened the gap between journalist unions and the government after the Congress came to power, and are now trying to exploit the same situation for personal gain. Speaking as the chief guest at the WJI district executive meeting held at the Karimnagar WJI office on Tuesday, Karunakar raised serious questions about the long-pending accreditation issue in the state. “Who is responsible for journalists not getting accreditation for the past two years? What has the committee done? Are the procedures completed? Has the report been submitted to the government? Or is the government delaying it?” he asked. Those heading the Accreditation Committee must answer these questions, he stated. Karunakar remarked that a few leaders who failed to mobilize journalists’ support for the government’s public welfare initiatives are now resorting to new dramas as their terms near completion. “People who play dramas in the name of journalists are not suited for unions… they are better suited to run drama companies,” he said mockingly. He added that assigning responsibilities of the Information Department to individuals unrelated to the Media Academy is the root cause of the current confusion. He demanded that academy chairpersons henceforth be limited strictly to academy-related responsibilities. WJI district president Daram Jagannatha Reddy, general secretary Gudala Srinivas, vice president Moguram Ramesh, treasurer Chitumalla Mahender and several others participated in the meeting.
