Uttarakhand Chief Minister B. C. Khanduri launches the Dehradun edition of The Tribune at Dehradun on Monday. Prof. R.P. Bambah, Justice
S. S. Sodhi (retd) and Lt. Gen. S. S. Mehta (retd) and are also seen.
Tribune photo: Anil Rawat |
Dehradun, October 20
“The Tribune has upheld the high standards of journalism. One feels good while reading The Tribune, which is not the case with many newspapers,” said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Maj Gen B C Khanduri (retd), while launching the Dehradun edition of The Tribune in the state capital today.
The Uttarakhand Chief Minister said apart from being one of the oldest newspapers of the country, The Tribune had never wavered from principles particularly now when pulls and pressures had become a part of the system. The paper was still young in its views.
Khanduri called upon both print and electronic media to do constructive criticism and hoped The Tribune would help the people of the state by showing them the way.
“A feeling of pessimism is prevailing in the country, which is not healthy,” he said. He also called upon the media to give space to good things.
Dr R P Bambah, a trustee of The Tribune, said the very basis of setting up of The Tribune was that it kept no business proposition or commercial interests in mind. “Starting from a 12-page weekly on February 2, 1881, at a cost of four annas a copy, The Tribune went on to become a daily in 1906,” Dr Bambah said.
Elaborating on the importance of The Tribune during the British days, he said the British once said that Punjab was being ruled by The Tribune and the Governor.
Recalling the efforts made by Sardar Dyal Singh Majthia towards establishing The Tribune Trust, he said The Tribune had always maintained the policy of practising independent journalism. It had fiercely adhered to the principle of journalistic freedom. The Tribune did not belong to any individual but every individual owned it, Dr Bambah said. He also recalled the The Tribune’s journey from Lahore to
Shimla, then to Ambala and ultimately to Chandigarh.
Earlier in his welcome speech, the Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune group of newspapers, H. K. Dua, said The Tribune had always been different from others. He said it was one of the most independent newspapers run by a public trust. “The Tribune is different from others as it has its own set of values,” Dua said.
Recalling Sardar Dyal Singh Majthia, founder of The Tribune, Dua said Sardar Majthia set up the paper from his personal wealth as he wanted to come up with a value-based newspaper. “He knew the Civil and Military Gazette was the mouthpiece of the British Raj and aspired for a newspaper with independent views,” he pointed out.
“It is the child of renaissance. It was a witness to Jallianwala Bagh as part of the independence movement and subsequently Independence and ultimately building of a new India,” he added.
Expressing concern over decline in human values, The Tribune Editor-in-Chief said it was unfortunate that in the past 61 years, there had been a gradual degradation of human values on all fronts.
“People think that Parliament no more represented people’s aspirations. The levels of corruption have disillusioned the people. People now go to the media as the last court of appeal and the ‘kachehri’ no more stood as the last court of appeal,” he said.
He said The Tribune on the one hand wanted to bring Uttarakhand in the national news network, on the other it also aimed to bring news of the rest of the country to the state. Through the Dehradun edition, The Tribune aimed to share the concerns of the people of Uttarakhand.
“We are here to share your joys, sorrows and achievements. Apart from airing your views, we would also take up your grievances,” he said.
The Editor-in-Chief also said that The Tribune had some of the best opinion pieces by top analysts who wrote for the paper. Its correspondents were spread to Pakistan, Kathmandu, Washington and Colombo. It had one of the best news networks.
The General Manager of The Tribune, Sanjay Hazari, said The Tribune had a history of deep-rooted tradition and its involvement with the affairs of the people made it a success.
It held a reputation of sobriety and a newspaper with an endeavour to present the real picture.
Describing Uttarakhand as the land of the Vedas and shastras, The Tribune General Manager said by launching its Dehradun edition, The Tribune aimed to serve the people of Uttarakhand in a better way. “As Uttarakhand grows from strength to strength, The Tribune would like to be a witness to it,” said Hazari.
Dr Bambah also presented The Tribune anthology to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister.
Trustees Justice S S Sodhi (retd) and Lt Gen S S Mehta (retd), Uttarakhand health minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank besides the elite of Dehradun were present on the occasion.
