Narendra Modi: “Criticism against the ruling party is a necessary aspect of democracy but excessive allegations is no way an aspect of a healthy democracy”
“Media should become partner in the development of the nation”
“News traders have vested interests and they are a threat to society and entire publishing world”
Launching a Gujarati daily ‘Gujarat Guardian’, which is being published from Surat , Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said that people are keen to check for positive stories in their newspapers but amid the atmosphere of various kinds of negativities and uproars, newspapers really need courage to focus on positive news.Criticism against the ruling party is a necessary aspect of democracy. But true criticism is not found nowadays; instead what we see is excessive allegations. Even the great and mighty rulers need to lay their arms before the power of well-studied criticism, Mr. Modi said.
Newspapers need to be created and not produced. There is no lacking of information in today’s information age. And the information is well available too due to advancement of technology. There is a great competition among media and only those publications would be able to carve their place in the market which will provide right kind of news and information to the public, he said.
Chief Minister made mention of former President A P J Abdul Kalam’s statement in which he appealed media to become partner in the development of the nation. He said that news stories should create a positive atmosphere. Journalists work hard to find negative stories which further create a vicious cycle and in turn the society and people becomes victim of it.
News and editors’ personal views are two different things and so they must not be mixed up. News are about plain facts while the editors’ have full liberty to express their views in editorial section, he said.
Even Mahatma Gandhi used to publish a newspaper and the Britishers had to plan their strategy based on thoughts published in his newspaper. Vir Narmad of Suart also used to publish ‘Dandiyo’ which became instrumental in social upliftment. Subsequent to this glorious tradition was an impressive figure in journalism Amrutlal Sheth. These people served the society in real sense through their journalism, said Chief Minister.
News traders have their vested interests and they are a threat to society and entire publishing world, he said.
Extending well wishes to ‘Gujarat Guardian’ Chief Minister said that a healthy growth of newspapers is necessary for social cleaning. A good newspaper should have both soft and hard qualities in it. With soft part it should become instrumental for social welfare while with the hard part it should go for cleaning the ill elements of society.
Mr. Manoj Mistri, Managing Director of the newspaper said that knowledge, truth and justice are the objectives of his publication.
Ministers Narottam Patel, Mangubhai Patel, Dilip Sanghani, Ranjit Gilitwala, MPs C R Patil, Darshanaben Jardosh, Bhartsinh Parmar, Mayor Rajendra Desai and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
