By TCN News
Kolkata: A media seminar held on the occasion of its third anniversary on the topic of “Importance of Media in Today’s World” Eminent Guests graced the occasion and congratulated the Eastern Post (EP) for doing sincere service to the Muslim community and the nation.
Inauguration of the Eastern Post weekly
The Eastern Post launched three years ago aspires to be the voice of Muslims and minority communities, especially of West Bengal and other sastern Indian region as there has been a lack of such English media here which could voice their concerns.
On 8th of August the Eastern Post hosted a seminar at the Park Regency, EM Bypass, to commemorate the inauguration of the Weekly issue of the journal which comprised of a media seminar on “The Importance Of Media in Today’s World”. Eminent speakers took part and highlighted all the important and considerable facts and aspects about the role of media all over the globe. Today’s media is not only restricted to be a source of news but has become a powerful platform to scrutinize the policies of the government meant for the nation as a whole and for the common man and also keep a tab on the happenings in and around the nation and the world. In this Seminar personalities from various walks of life had come together to explore the role and responsibility of the media as a whole and how Muslim media should come ahead and fulfill its duty not only towards its community but towards its nation and entire humanity.
The stage was full of dynamic personalities like, Chief guest Sultan Ahmed (Union Minister of State and Tourism), Guests-of-Honour, Maulana Asrar-ul-Haq Qasmi (MP, Lok Sabha, from Kishanganj), Maulana Khalid Nadvi Ghazipuri (Shaikhul Hadith, Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow), Mr. Sardar Amjad Ali Adv. (Ex.MP), Mr. Alhaj Jawed Akhtar Bavey, Maulana Abu Talib Rahmani (president of state Minority Cell, JD-U), Mr. Md. Sohrab (MLA) and Mr. Burhanuddin Qasmi (Editor: Eastern Crescent, Mumbai). The seminar was presided by Qari Md. Ismail Zafar (Chairman, Babul Uloom Group of Organizations).
The programme started with the speech of the Editor of EP, Abdul Basit Ismail, who highlighted the great power that media has and with which it acts like the “mirror of the society”. He stressed the fact that “if media acts sincerely and honestly, it can be a great force in taking the nation and the world to higher levels of developments and civilization”. Lamenting on the fact that most media houses have not done their duty sincerely, he said, “To provide an alternative to such customary media depictions and to project the truth, The Eastern Post was launched to join the league of few Muslim English publications which aimed to not only project the true nature of Muslim community but also responsibly take up the job of informing the people about those issues and topics which have been ignored by mainstream media for the interests of their commercial lords”.
The first weekly issue of the paper was inaugurated at the hands of the Director and Chief Advisor of the EP Maulana Sabah Ismail Nadwi. The occasion was embedded with eminent guests from all over India. The consensus was that journalists have to be impartial. Media should deliver the information and let people draw their own conclusions.
Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, MP, could not pay a visit but sent a personal message for The EP. Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi, Editor of The Crescent, focused on the strength of media and how can it be used for the upliftment of the society.
Ex MP Sardar Amjad Ali alleged media work as an agent of the world powers who use it as a tool to carry on there lobbies and mean interests. He even posed questions to those who allege The Eastern Post to be one sided for highlighting and projecting Muslim problems, asking as to how many media houses are there who report four sided news? He boldly questioned, “if highlighting Muslim problems is communalism, then why isn’t B.R. Ambedkar called a communalist?
Media has to play very responsible role in shaping up the future of any country and therefore it needs to cross check all the information or news before delivering it to public. Journalism is a mission to create a change in the society by bringing unbiased truth in the public domain.
Mr. Sohrab said that Press should be a platform through which the voices of poor and neglected reaches to those who are in power, so that the changes in policies and priorities can be suggested. Impressing the importance of the work that EP aims to do, he highlighted the fact that any such endeavor like EP would require great financial support. On the occasion he came ahead and contributed an amount of Rs. 1 lakh for EP.
Maulana Asrarul Haq Qasmi addressing the gathering
Later, enunciating on the seminar topic Maulana Asrarul Haq Qasmi, MP, said that today a section of media is constantly trying to malign Islam and dominate the world; the western media has adopted the policy to capture two major powers of the world gold and media because both of them are considered important as one is the driving force of the global economy while the other is the backbone of society. To stop their flagitious activities Muslim youths need to join media in large numbers and wash away all the wrong things being portrayed by them. He went on to say that media especially Urdu media has had a major role in the freedom of India. He said, “Media has the power which is stronger than any explosive elements but it should be handled carefully and on no condition should be used for any ill purposes.”
Mr. Sultan Ahmed, Union Minister for Tour and Travels, started his speech with the famous lines by famous Urdu Poet Dr. Allama Iqbal:
Aqqabi rooh jab zinda hoti hai naujawanon mein
Nazar ati hai unko apni manzil aasmanon mein
He energized the youths working in media, especially the young team of EP, by presenting the example of the great journalist Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and his papers “Al Hilal and Al Balag”. He said that western media has turned its back towards the basic facts. He stretched the need that Muslims should join the field of media in large number by stating the role of media in the freedom of India.
He focused on the hot issue as to how the Muslim youths are being targeted by a particular section of the media. In this context he went to Home Minister P Chidambaram where the latter clearly said that the recent investigations have cleared that terrorism has nothing to do with Indian Muslims. It has been imported. No Indian Muslim is involved in any terrorist activities. “Therefore,” he reiterated, “Media should deliver correct and accurate news.”
After his speech he invited all the audience to come ahead and contribute to EP both monetarily and through pen and himself contributed an amount of Rs. 1 lakh to EP.
Maulana Khalid Nadwi Ghazipuri articulated the importance and the strength that media enjoys. He compared the writings of a good writer with that of the blood of a martyr. He further narrated that Allah himself has said about the importance of pen in the Quran. So the writers should carefully pen down any news or information and take care that it doesn’t hurt any innocent. “Rather it should be used as force to work for the benefit the humanity,” he added saying that the time is changing now and Muslim youths should come ahead and join this field.
Lastly, Mohammed Abu Talib Rahmani advised media to play a positive role in the formation of a civil society and congratulated EP and its team to have covered a journey of three years and moving ahead with the weekly.
The whole event was hosted by A. Basit Ismail and Maulana Sabah Ismail and the event was presided over by Qari Mohammed Ismail Zafar, who expressed his gratitude to all the guests and thanked Allah for bringing the EP to this stage of appreciation. He ended the programme with dua.
Link:
http://www.theeasternpost.org