Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen and all those who are being honoured with awards for journalism in Ramnath Goenka’s name today, I congratulate you and send you good wishes from the bottom of my heart.
In June 1975, when Emergency was imposed, I was about to sit for my matriculation (class 10) examination. In those two years, many members of my family were arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). That is when I decided that I wanted to work against the Emergency. Those two years of struggle are a part of a history that we can never forget.
The situation was worrisome. Newspapers were facing censorship. Amid all this, one brave person, Ramnath Goenka, became an inspiration for us all to struggle against the Emergency. At the time, I was in Maharashtra and associated with Loksatta. The day the Emergency was declared, their struggle began. They had to pay a heavy price in this fight.
Once in Mumbai, while with Nanaji Deshmukh, I got the opportunity to meet Ramnath ji. He left a profound impression on me. There is an essential fight in all our lives — the one between ethics and convenience. Whether in journalism or in politics, in every field, choosing between these two challenges our conscience. The special thing about Ramnath ji is that he never let that confusion cloud his judgement.
Taking inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, he took up journalism. There is a very illustrative saying. It goes: “Nadi ka pravah jab behta hai toh mari hui machli jo hoti hai woh pravah ke saath beh jaati hai. Par jo zinda machli hoti hai woh har samay pravah ke khilaaf tairti hai aur wohi uske zinda dili ka sabse bada udaharan hai.” (Dead fish go with the flow; those alive fight against the current; and that is the evidence of life).
Were it not for the Emergency, I would likely not have entered politics.
Our country is the world’s largest democracy and its people both reflect on and worry about the nature of our polity. Legislature, executive, judiciary, media — these four pillars have long held democracy up in India. I often think that the way people belonging to these four professions conduct themselves dictates the state of a democracy.
We are the fastest-growing economy in the world. It is our Prime Minister’s dream that we become a $5-trillion dollar economy and achieve the goal of atmanirbhar Bharat. We have started moving closer to that dream. But along with economic progress, the values imparted by our education system and society guide the leaders and the people.
Swami Vivekananda once said that nothing can be taught on an empty stomach. Without money, resources, there can be no prosperity. But prosperity, resources, success and economic progress are also not the be-all and end-all in life.
Since 1947, many people have, with conviction, fought for democracy and social cohesion. When India marks 100 years of Independence, the names of those who saved democracy will go down in golden ink. Ramnath ji is indisputably on that list.
I recall that when I was young, Datta Samant led a strike at The Indian Express. But even in a difficult situation, Ramnath ji stood firm and continued fighting for his principles. In the end, he emerged victorious. This award is named after Ramnath ji and journalism is an important pillar of democracy. Today, I believe there is more to journalism than the dissemination of information. From knowledge and technology to agriculture and industry, we learn about everything from newspapers.
There are two things that I think about a lot: First, innovation, entrepreneurship, science, technology, research skills and successful practices are all knowledge, and conversion of this knowledge into wealth is the future. The second important thing, which is in some way related to education and our culture, is the idea that no material is wasted and no person is a dead weight. Appropriate technology and the vision of an able leader can convert any “waste” into wealth.
In a country like ours that is rapidly changing, the role of the media is crucial. Most people are disinterested in the “who said what” of politics. But the new generation is hungry for knowledge. They want to know all about science and successful international practices and they are concerned about how to protect the ecology and environment.
Journalists’ expertise is not just beneficial to themselves. The knowledge gained and passed on through their writing defines issues in the minds of hundreds of people. Today, I am happy to note that the subjects covered by winners of the Ramnath Goenka Awards are important for our society and country.
Social media has changed the world. Everyone knows what is going on across the world the moment it happens. In the future, the media will have an ever greater role to play in our society. Young journalists who have gained expertise and worked extensively on ecology and environment and other relevant subjects, and who have received the Ramnath Goenka award, will also be able to contribute much more. Real change will only occur when there is a qualitative transformation in society — not just in one field but in every field.
Even so, as we continue to change and evolve, some fundamental values must remain the same. In the Kesavananda Bharati judgment, the Supreme Court said that the salient features of the Constitution cannot be changed. Similarly, our values, history, culture and heritage must remain constant. There is a difference between modernisation and westernisation. We are on the side of modernisation, everything must change with time, but keeping the structure that our Indian society is based on intact is our responsibility.
Difference of opinion is not a problem. It is the poverty of thought that we must avoid. Nowadays, we are neither rightist nor leftist — we are all opportunists, and that is a serious issue.
Ramnath ji was among those people who were willing to pay the price for their principles. All the award winners are people who are unwilling to back down; they fight for their convictions. Whether these principles lead to victory or defeat, happiness or despair, we must continue to walk our own path and never compromise. These professional ethics are on display in those who have passed the test of the jury in every field. I want to congratulate and give my best wishes to all the prize winners.
Nitin Gadkari is Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways
This article is an edited excerpt from his keynote address at the 17th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards on March 19
Translated from Hindi by Sukhmani Malik and Adya Goyal
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