BSPS 13th National Meeting Held with Over 400 Journalists; Strategy Formulated for Safety and Welfare * Journalists from across the country raised their voices on issues concerning journalist safety, housing, and a national register.

Visakhapatnam-Indian News Times -(Andhra Pradesh) – The 13th National Executive Meeting of the Bharati Shramjeevi Patrakar Sangh (BSPS) took place in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. 

Senior journalists from various states across the country gathered to discuss critical issues in detail, including journalist safety, housing facilities, the journalist register, the journalist welfare fund, and journalists' rights. The meeting also reviewed the attitudes of different state governments toward issues affecting journalists.

The main National Executive meeting was held at the Dr. Y.V.S. Murthy Auditorium in Visakhapatnam. The central theme of the meeting was "The Role of Ethical Journalism in Strengthening Democracy." Speakers discussed the role of responsible and ethical journalism in reinforcing the democratic system. Emphasis was placed on ensuring the safety, socio-economic interests, and freedom of journalists.

Local MP Mr. Bharat, former Rajya Sabha MP G.V.L. Narasimha, BSPS founder Shahnawaz Hasan, National General Secretary Giridhar Sharma, Andhra Pradesh President Bir Bhadra Rao, Raghavendra Mishra, and I.V. Kashyap, along with office-bearers from various states and senior journalists, were present at the event. State presidents including Shubhendu Chatterjee (West Bengal), Chandravir Gayatri (Uttarakhand), Ajay Kumar (Bihar), Shiva (Tamil Nadu), and Javed (Jharkhand), as well as Krishna Mohan Jha (representing Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh), participated in the meeting.

Several resolutions concerning the interests of journalists were passed unanimously. Speakers demanded the implementation of effective mechanisms for journalist safety in the states and urged that priority be given to housing and welfare schemes for journalists. Concern was also expressed regarding the absence of a journalist registration system in several states.  Serious concern was expressed at the meeting regarding issues such as the murder of journalists, violence, intimidation, and the filing of false cases against them.

 The alleged misuse of the Journalist Welfare Fund was also discussed. Delegates agreed to prepare a document assessing the situation in various states regarding the safety of journalists and to present the relevant issues to the central government.

The meeting highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh and the Mohan Yadav government in Madhya Pradesh concerning issues faced by journalists. 

Union representatives expressed their support for the measures taken in these states to safeguard journalists' interests. At the same time, the need to implement effective policies for the safety, dignity, and welfare of journalists in other states was also emphasized.

More than four hundred journalists from across the country participated in the National Executive meeting. The attendees included senior journalists from various states as well as those who had received honors from the President.

On the first day of the meeting, a spiritual program was organized at Bhimali Beach along the Indian Ocean, led by spiritual guru Umar Alisa. Local MLA Srinivas was also present at the event. During the two-day event, National Executive office-bearers and delegates discussed the organization's future action plan and strategies to raise issues concerning journalists at the national level.