‘We should be grateful to media personnel who face challenges everyday but they work relentlessly’, opined Ramdas Athawale!

Ramdas Athawale Union Minister of Government of India was the chief guest at the Jan Arogyam Foundation and Ekta Manch’s felicitation programme to honour the services of media personnel. They honoured journalists of repute which included Jyoti Venkatesh, Santosh Sahu, Johnny Vaz, Mr Gazi, Keerti Kadam and Pankaj Panday.

Under the joint aegis of Jan Arogyam Foundation and Ekta Manch, a grand event of ‘Media Promotion Ceremony’ was held at Children’s Welfare Society, Yari Road, Andheri West Mumbai. The programme started with lighting of the lamp, invocation and Saraswati Vandana. Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of Government of India, said, ‘I am very happy that my dearest soul Devendra Bhai gave me an opportunity to attend and appeared in front of all of you. The media persons bring news with a lot of risk as well as shoot videos in dire conditions. In case of any accident, the news reaches us as soon as possible. Journalists and media brothers have to face a lot of risks in their lives, we should be thankful to them that they do the work relentlessly so that the news reaches us as soon as possible and authentically.’

Further, while talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s numerous schemes for the benefit of common people, he said, ‘Modi ji is doing good work for the interest of the country. It was thought in the interest of farmers to become a farmer’s law and was also duly passed in the Parliament. But due to lack of consent of the farmer brothers, it had to be repealed and soon this law will be repealed by the Parliament. Modi ji is developing the country with the principle of Sabka Saath and Sabka Vikas. We have to take the people of all the society along, be it Swarna, Patidar, Dalit, Yadav or any class. We have to work together, siding away religion or caste, we have to unite and work for the progress of the nation.’

Ramdas Athawale praised the Prime Minister for his many works and said, ‘Very soon a law would be passed to provide free education to the children of people with an income of less than eight lakhs. The demand for corona vaccine made in India has increased in other countries including America. The country is moving towards economic development. The country is becoming self-reliant. The demand for goods from abroad will be reduced and measures will be taken to increase production in India itself. Today the number of Indians is increasing in countries like America, China, Dubai etc. We have selfless spirit and sacrificing people who are increasing the value of the residing country. Justice to all, unity in society and uniting all the societies will make our country strong.’

Mr Athawale praised the media personnel and congratulated everyone for giving respect to the journalists. He further said, ‘The constitution of Baba Saheb Ambedkar should be followed and it should be respected. Our development will happen only when everyone’s heart is clean. Countries like Pakistan and China which are harming India, we will have to fight unitedly against them. Today will be a memorable day for me.’

Devendra Bhai said, ‘I believe that without journalism a successful country or society cannot be imagined. That is why they are called the fourth pillar of the country. We have to walk shoulder to shoulder. Today journalists have been honoured for the special work and contribution to the society. Further work will be done for their interest and respect.’

Many prominent personalities including Ajay Kaul, co-founder of Ekta Manch, Prashant Kasid, co-founder, Jamunalal Hapawat, a well-known social worker, Smt. Leela Ramesh Gajra, a social worker, Subodh Saho, former Minister in the Maharashtra Government, Shah Group, founder Nalin Shah, Jan Arogyam Foundation Trustee and Social Activist Rakesh Jain Nahar, famous philanthropist of Mumbai Prakash Chopra, Prashant Zaveri, Dr. Amjad Pathan, Dr. Rahul Saho Kanti Mehta, Mumbai AIR announcer Mrs. Bidhi Praveen Jain, founder of Nelson Mandela Peace Award Academy Raj Kumar Tak, Senior Journalist K Ravi Dada, Dr. Mukesh Bhatia. Special thanks were given to Pushkar Ojha, Editor of Khabar24 for the successfully managing the programme and the stage was conducted by Lovekes Jain.