1.3 billion stories waiting to be told: Dua

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 13

If journalists betray people, they would not get their support as there is a link between serving people and they standing by you, said former Rajya Sabha MP HK Dua, who also remained the Editor of The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, The Tribune and the Times of India.

Dua was at Panjab University (PU) today for the first PP Singh Memorial Lecture to commemorate the foundation day of the School of Communication Studies (SCS). He was a student of Prof PP Singh, founder of the Journalism Department at the PU.

“Concealed attempts are being made to curb freedom of press in the present scenario,” he said.

“There is a conformity of news. It is not diverse. Similar opinion is expressed on TV. There are no debates, only ‘tu tu main main’. It will spell disaster for free press. If there is a critical editor, there is pressure on the proprietor to change or bring a conformist,” he said, adding that most of the press was becoming cosy with the government.

He mentioned that during the Bihar elections, all exit polls showed that the BJP was coming to power barring one. But that channel got a call that their exit poll was wrong as all others were showing that the BJP was coming to power so they withdrew the exit poll, he said.

“Karan Thapar is not there. He was asking probing questions. Proprietors of channels do not want to cross the government,” Dua said.

“Any dissent is being curbed. But they (government) will find it difficult to curb the dissent in accurate stories,” he said and added that no government could defend the story of a man in a UP hospital where his severed leg was used as a pillow for him.

“There are 1.3 billion stories waiting to be reported,” he said.

“People’s right to know and right to expression have same sanctity. Both are needed when the land is diverse. Had the press not reported the Maharashtra march of farmers so avidly, the government would not have given the written guarantee,” he said.

He cited how during the Emergency, newspapers faced censorship and papers such as The Indian Express and the Statesman stood out.

“I was a special correspondent in the Indian Express at that time…Even keeping the space blank was questioned by Vidya Charan Shukla, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting,” he said.

He also discussed the Rajiv Gandhi era when the defamation Bill was brought.

“In 1988, I was an Editor. Press was wiser. Editorials were written. Prominent editors marched in Delhi against it. Rajiv Gandhi wanted to have a talk so that he could withdraw it but we refused. He then withdrew it unconditionally,” the former Rajya Sabha MP said.

On journalism education, Dua said: “Those who have passed out from journalism schools are more authentic and accurate. They will not succeed in the social media but in journalism.”

VC calls for starting national college of art

PU Vice-Chancellor Arun K Grover spoke about the importance of media education and that the SCS should take the lead to further collaborate with other departments and work towards creating a larger college of art. He stressed upon the interdisciplinary nature of media studies which is a meeting ground for performing and fine arts. SCS Chairperson Prof Archana R Singh gave a background about the endowment from the Panjab University Journalists’ Association, which was the first alumni network. This endowment has ensured that this lecture can be organised once in every two years. A documentary on SCS was also shown on Tuesday.