Commercialism is seen in most fields in today’s era, and journalism is no exception, feels Rajeev Ranjan Roy. A city-based senior journalist, Roy launched his book, Critical Appraisal: An Insight into India’s Exclusive Growth, at CRRIDD (Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development), Sector 19, Chandigarh, on Monday.
Saying there is a need to sensitise journalists on rural issues, Roy, who hails from village Pipra in district Banka of Bihar, added about his work, “It is an aggressive writing but also authoritative. It’s quite transparent, having accurate facts and therefore there is no chance of it being controversial.”
Roy’s book, which comprises of 13 chapters on 126 topics, is a compilation of a series of critical writings by him as a journalist in the last few years. Amongst these, there is mention of key anti-poverty schemes not reaching the targeted poor, killing of Maoists not being a solution, the reason behind OBCs being backward and why over 94 percent poor Muslims are not getting subsidised food grains.
Roy is currently working in a Chandigarh-based English daily and has previously been the resident editor of The Pioneer (Chandigarh editon). He says it took him two and a half years to complete the book, adding, “I feel there is no need to worry about the rich. The need is to worry about the common people and the schemes announced for them that go haywire and end up being never implemented.”
The idea behind writing the book, says Roy, is for all those, who wish to become party to the country’s evolution as a successful democracy and where inclusive growth is reflected, to read it . “I want students from all streams, policy makers and research scholars to read it,” he adds.
Roy says each piece in his book highlights the need for a serious re-look at the policies and programmes being made.
The idea behind writing the book, says Roy, is for all those, who wish to become party to the country’s evolution as a successful democracy and where inclusive growth is reflected, to read it . “I want students from all streams, policy makers and research scholars to read it,” he adds.
Roy says each piece in his book highlights the need for a serious re-look at the policies and programmes being made.
He also plans to launch his book in Banaras Hindu University and Allahabad University, he shares, saying it is because most of the students in these universities are from rural backgrounds and not very urbanised, ‘unlike those in Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.’
However, Roy says his book is meant to create awareness for the masses. Before signing off, he adds on a note of hope, “Money has become central to journalism, but I am hopeful that things will change.”