People's Democracy

ANDHRA PRADESH

Prajasakti Moves Into New Premises

M H Bhavan Inaugurated By Yechury

M Venugopala Rao

INAUGURATING the M H Bhavan, a multi-storied building newly constructed for housing Prajasakti Telugu daily in Hyderabad, Sitaram Yechury, editor of People�s Democracy and member of the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M), emphasised on the Left and secular political parties working together for creating a political alternative to pursue alternative policies for building a new India. He pointed out that the building was a fitting memorial to its founder editor and one of the builders of the Communist movement, the late Moturu Hanumantha Rao. Addressing a meeting organised on the occasion at RTC Kala Bhavanam, Sitaram Yechury pointed out that only Prajasakti and other newspapers of the CPI(M) alone can discharge the responsibility of bringing to public attention the crucial problems that are confronting the country in the face of financial crisis that is going to get intensified in the coming period. He reminded how the corporate media had given priority to trivial issues during the visit of the then US president Bill Clinton and relegated serious issues like burning alive of five dalits in Bangalore to the bottom of last but one page. Boasting about shining India, the corporate media is ignoring the suffering India, Sitaram commented.

Explaining the genesis of the financial crisis and its adverse impact, Sitaram Yechury reminded that it was pointed out through the columns of Prajasakti many a time that due to globalisation pursued by capitalism, such a crisis would take place. While jobless growth is taking place, gap between the rich and poor countries and between the rich and the poor people is widening. He made it clear that empowerment of the people and strengthening their purchasing power is the solution to the crisis. However, the capitalist class is not willing to do so and the governments are trying to strengthen the lenders rather than the borrowers through bailout packages. If the youth of the country are provided with education, health and employment, they themselves would build a modern India, Sitaram said. Pressure should be brought on the rulers to implement such alternative policies, he said. In the present conditions, newspapers like Prajasakti alone can discharge the responsibility of educating the people on the need for alternative policies, Sitaram said.

In the social sector, the danger of communal politics and misusing religion, castes, regions and languages for political vested interest is growing, endangering national unity. To resist the danger, alternative policies to communalism and communal politics should be strengthened, Sitaram explained. Fighting against imperialism, which is trying to keep the world in its grip, independent foreign policy of the country should be upheld, he said. Through the nuclear deal, the Congress government had compromised with the US imperialism, he criticised. Alternative policies can be brought about, if only a political alternative can be built, Sitaram said. Against the Congress and communal forces, third political alternative should be brought forward and consciousness of the people developed in that direction, he explained. Sitaram expressed the confidence that Prajasakti would discharge that responsibility in a more effective way.

V Krishnaiah, chairman of Prajasakti Sahiti Samstha, presided over the meeting. With the support of the people and efforts of stalwarts like P Sundarayya, M Hanumantha Rao, L B Gangadhara Rao, Koratala Satyanarayana and Nanduri Prasada Rao and dedication of its staff, Prajasakti could reach to its present position, he explained. Standing firmly on the side of the workers, farmers, and oppressed and weaker sections of the people, Prajasakti has been a weapon in their hands, he said. S Vinay Kumar, editor of Prajasakti, explained the growth of Prajasakti and the future tasks before it. Prajasakti would be brought out in colour print from February 11, 2009 from Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry and Tirupati and its other five editions would follow suit gradually, he said.

V Srinivasa Rao, former editor of Prajasakti and member of the central secretariat of the CPI(M), asked the staff of Prajasakti to mould it as a sharp instrument of voice of the people. He expressed the desire that the three buildings named after veteran leaders of the CPI(M) P Sundarayya, M Basavapunnaiah and M Hanumantha Rao should flourish as centres which would help achieve their aims. Though M H Bhavan is small compared to the buildings of other newspapers, it is noteworthy that it has been built with revolutionary spirit, Srinivasa Rao said. Making those who were elated that socialism had collapsed 15 years back silent, the Red Flag is getting strengthened in several countries, he explained. The future belongs to the Communists, he asserted. At a time when news is being sold for money, Prajasakti has been working with ideology as the objective. It is the responsibility of Prajasakti to safeguard secularism as an answer to the communal forces which are attacking the minorities, Srinivasa Rao said.

Shashi Kumar, chairman of Asian College of Journalism, gave a call to the media to give up commercial outlook and act in tune with the wishes and views of the people. At present the media had no credibility among the people and it is a dangerous trend, he said. It is painful that the problems of villages, which are the backbone of the country, are not getting reflected in newspapers, he commented. Only some of the newspapers are highlighting the problems of the villages. Vernacular newspapers like Prajasakti should strive to bring such issues to limelight, Shashi Kumar said. In many countries, capitalism is commanding the media. The country needs newspapers and media which reflect democratic outlook, Shashi Kumar stressed.

Narayana Datta, chief editor of Ganasakthi, Rajeev, news editor of Desabhimani, Gautam Das, editor of Desarkatha, W R Varadarajan, editor of Teekkadhir, Telakapalli Ravi, editor of Prajasakti Book House, and others participated in the programme. A round table discussion with editors of newspapers on national integration and role of media was organised on the occasion which was graced by the vice president of India Professor M Hamid Ansari.

Earlier A Ramnarayana Reddy, minister for information and public relations, government of Andhra Pradesh, switched on colour printing machine, while Shashi Kumar inaugurated the wing of editorial section. V Srinivasa Rao unveiled the statue of Moturu Hanumantha Rao amidst resounding slogans paying homage to the departed leader. V Raghavachari, former editor of Visalandhra inaugurated the photo exhibition organised on the occasion.