Don't allow capitalists to monopolise UNI: Jakhar

Bhopal, Sep 25: Madhya Pradesh Governor and former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar today emphasised the need for upholding the freedom of press and high moral values in journalism in a democracy like India.

He was talking to a delegation of Madhya Pradesh Working Journalists Union, which submitted to him a memorandum opposing the move to hand over majority stake in the United News of India (UNI) to a private media group.

''UNI has been functioning upholding high values in journalism and its independent character should be maintained. Capitalist forces should not be allowed to monopolise it'', the Governor said, assuring the delegation that the memorandum would be forwarded to the President and the Prime Minister.

MPWJU President Shalabh Bhadoria, who led a delegation of journalists and non-journalists of newspapers, news agencies and news channels, told the Governor that the attempt to undermine the independent character of the premier news agency would be detrimental as UNI had been functioning in an impartial and transparent manner since its inception in 1961. He expressed the concern that transfer of the majority stake to a shareholder would not only affect its independent character but also be detrimental to the interests of employees in UNI.

The MPWJU also warned to launch a strike and relay dharna if the deal was finalised tomorrow.

Earlier, the Union submitted a memorandum to Nava Bharat Group of Newspapers Chief Editor and member of UNI Board of Directors Prafulla Kumar Maheshwari seeking his intervention to stop the deal.

The Union members staged dharna in front of the local office of UNI yesterday.

UNI