False Reporting ! Sanatan Sanstha falsely accused by prejudiced reporter of ‘Daily Lokmat’ !

Says Government sponsored Sanstha’s posters on Flag Campaign !

Sanatan Sanstha has been conducting the campaign of ‘Respect the National Flag’ for the past few years to create public awareness about the National Flag. In this campaign, the masses are educated on how to avoid disrespecting the National Flag through the media of posters, pamphlets, resolutions etc. Some such posters pertaining to the Flag campaign were put up in the office of Alibagh Jillha Parishad after taking due permission from the Government. These posters have been prepared by Sanatan Sanstha using its own funds and the posters even has ‘NRHM’ (National Rural Health Mission) printed on them.

However, a reporter of Daily Lokmat did not do his homework and nurturing a wrong impression about Sanatan published a totally baseless news report saying that the posters were prepared from Government funds. Thus a report was published without studying the facts, by going into the details, of Sanatan’s social campaign.

In its first news report published on 14th August, the Daily Lokmat had said that the posters were put up by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. This is false as nowhere on the posters was there any mention of HJS. (Such recklessness in reporting ! This reporter was not responsible enough to confirm something as simple as the name on the poster  !- Editor)

Thereafter in a meeting with the Palak Mantri Mr. Suneel Tatkari on 22nd August, the reporter again drew the attention to the subject of posters, neglecting the main issue of swine-flu. The reporter even asked him to take action against the concerned officials but the Palak Mantri refused to comment and said that he will attend to this matter only after a detailed report is available in writing.

Again in the issue dated 23rd August of Daily Lokmat, the same reporter mentioned that the said posters were put up by Sanatan Sanstha and some people connected with the Sanstha are accused in the Bomb blast case. He argued that despite this fact, Government funds were provided to the Sanstha. (Sanatan has prepared these posters using its own funds and not by Government funding. This reporter has in fact spoiled the name of journalism with such false accusations. There is no case on Sanatan Sanstha in connection with any bomb blast. Besides Sanatan has clarified its role in this issue time and again. -Editor)

Similar news was also published in another daily called Ramprahar on 26th August. When some local residents were contacted in this regard they said, “Some good Government officers in that office tried to stop corruption. This displeased some people and hence they tried to target these officers by falsely accusing them of being involved in these posters made by Sanatan. Simultaneously it was also an attempt to oppose the good effort and activities of Sanatan. But soon the truth in the matter will be revealed.”

Government has not funded this effort !
The speaker of the health committee Mr. Pandit Patil said, “We have not funded anything. But the posters which have been put up are about awakening respect towards the National Flag and there is nothing wrong in it.”

We are seeking advice for legal action !- Sanatan Sanstha

In this connection, Mr. Abhay Vartak, Spokesperson of Sanatan Sanstha said, “It is unfortunate to accuse us like this when the campaign is on public awareness about the National Flag. We have not received any government funds and have only helped in putting up such posters in the Government premises. In fact the posters are put up only after written permission from the Chief Officer of Raigad Jilha Parishad. Therefore we are seeking advice for legal action against such misleading news.” (Actually Sanatan Sanstha is a spiritual organisation and should not be required to do this job of educating people on how to respect the National Flag, which clearly is a job expected of the Government !
In fact Sanatan has helped the Government by putting up such public awareness posters at its own expense. But how would somebody, suffering from the malady of prejudice, understand this ?- Editor)