Abrogation of Article 370 welcomed by people: Vice President

Everyone should speak in one voice on country’s unity & integrity;

VP Asks electronic media to have its own regulation mechanism; 

Participates in the 35th Foundation Day Celebrations of Hindi daily, Prabhat Khabar;

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venakaih Naidu has said that abrogation of article 370 was welcomed by people cutting across all political lines in the country.

Participating in the 35th Foundation Day celebrations of Prabhat Khabar, a Hindi daily, in Ranchi, Jharkhand today, the Vice President said the need of the hour was to protect India’s unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country. “As regards to the country’s unity and integrity, we all should speak in one voice,” he added.

Shri Naidu expressed happiness that both the houses of Parliament passed the resolution after a thorough discussion. While it was passed with – 2/3rd majority in Rajya Sabha, it secured the support of - 4/5th members of Lok Sabha. ‘’It speaks about the wishes of the people of the country and that is the mood of the country’ he added.

The Vice President said that there was a need for the younger generation of the country to know about Article 370 and its constitutional history.

Pointing out that Article 370 was a temporary and transient provision, the Vice President mentioned that way back in 1964, MPs cutting across party lines including those from ruling party almost unanimously supported a non official resolution seeking its abrogation.

Reading out details of the news item published by a National English daily at that time, the Vice President said that the non official resolution moved by Shri Prakash Vir Shastri in Lok Sabha was supported by leaders like Shri Ram Manohar Lohia, Shri H.V. Kamat, Shri K. Hanumantaiya and others.

Quoting from the same news report, he said that the members from Kashmir argued that the state had suffered by not being treated on par with the rest of the country.

Referring to the positive and constructive role of the Fourth Estate, the Vice President advised the media to present only facts and unadulterated news and leave the judgment to people. “Do not mix news and views,” he added.

Shri Naidu said that journalism was once considered as a mission to transform the society and the country he observed that a section of the media today was not adhering to the principles and was giving remission to truth.

The Vice President cautioned the media to guard against fake and paid news and follow a strict verification mechanism before publishing or broadcasting news developments. He suggested that electronic media should also have its own regulation mechanism on the lines of the Press Council of India.

The Governor of Jharkhand, Smt Draupadi Murmu, the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Shri Raghubar Das, the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh and other eminent personalities from media were present at the event.