On Sunday, June 25, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath officially renamed a key road in Noida as ‘Ramnath Goenka Marg’ in honour of the founder of The Indian Express.
Speaking at an event at the office of The Indian Express, UP CM Yogi said, “Today, it is a matter of pride for me that I am getting the opportunity to inaugurate this road named after him in Noida, which is known as the financial capital of Uttar Pradesh.”
The road was earlier known as Amaltash Road. The route connects Rajnigandha Chowk in Noida’s Sector 16 to Sector 12, and the Noida office of the Indian Express is located on this road.
The Chief Minister further stated that today is an emotional day for him. It is an important day from the point of view of saving democracy. He noted that he does not consider this a coincidence that this road had to be named after Ramanth Goenka today only on June 25, 48 years after the imposition of a nationwide Emergency.
CM Yogi also took a moment to recall and honour those individuals who dedicated themselves to restoring democracy during the period of Emergency, which lasted till 1977.
CM Yogi added, “On this occasion, I pay humble tribute to all those ‘fighters of democracy’, including Goenka, who fought for democracy in this country.”
He also lauded the journalistic endevaours of the founder of The Indian Express and stressed that his name will be remembered with reverence and respect.
CM Yogi said, “Ramnath Goenka ji is a shining pole star of the media world. Whenever there will be talk about freedom of the media and democracy, Ramnath Goenka ji’s name would always be remembered with reverence and respect.”
The office of the UP CM shared a video clip of the event and the CM officially renaming the road as ‘Ram Nath Goenka Marg’.
आज का दिन मेरे लिए भावनात्मक है व लोकतंत्र को बचाने की दृष्टि से अत्यन्त महत्वूपर्ण है।
— CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) June 25, 2023
मैं इसे महज संयोग नहीं मानता हूं, यह कोई न कोई ईश्वरीय प्रेरणा है कि 25 जून की तिथि को ही इस मार्ग का नामकरण स्वर्गीय रामनाथ गोयनका जी के नाम पर हो रहा: #UPCM @myogiadityanath pic.twitter.com/QTRaD898gt
Prior to this announcement, the route was known as Amaltash Road. This busy route connects Rajnigandha Chowk in Sector 16 to Sector 12. The road comes under the management of the local Noida Authority which functions under the Uttar Pradesh government. Notably, the office of The Indian Express also falls on this route.
UP CM bats for media freedom
Apart from the renaming of the road, UP CM Yogi Adityanath also advocated for the freedom of the media as he recalled June 25, 1975, as a “black day” in the history of Indian democracy. 48 years ago, on this very date, the Indira Gandhi-led government imposed a nationwide Emergency.
CM Yogi said, “I say this with full commitment and assure you that for the media — the fourth wheel, the fourth pillar of democracy — we also should get the opportunity to work together for it.”
Yogi Adityanath also reflected on Goenka’s remarkable journey as the founder of The Indian Express Group in 1936, along with his significant contribution as a participant in India’s freedom movement.
CM Yogi highlighted that Goenka not only stood for the media’s freedom but also he got elected to the Parliament to amplify the voice of India’s democracy.
CM added that it is an important day for him that India’s most populous state where anti-democracy conspiracies were being hatched, the voice which had risen prominently against it was from Uttar Pradesh.
Furthermore, the UP CM said, “This day is also important since the Goenka family contributed to saving democracy and set parameters for what could be the clean and dignified role of the media ever since the founding of this media group. Along with this, Ramnath Goenka ji was also associated with the nationalist mission with which we are associated.”
UP CM Yogi Adityanath made these statements during an event hosted at The Indian Express office.
