Media's Role Vital For Healthy Democracy, Says VP Venkaiah Naidu

Cuttack: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu today lauded the crucial role of free and fair media and said it is an indispensable prerequisite for a healthy democracy.

Speaking at the centennial celebrations of publication of Odia daily, The Samaja in Cuttack today, he urged media not to sensationalise news and present facts. He said that media must remain honest and truthful and act with great restraint and responsibility.

Naidu further said that media must empower citizens and help in ushering greater transparency and accountability in the governance system. “Media must amplify the voice of citizens and communicate their opinions to lawmakers,” he added.

The Vice President expressed concerns that the pervasive menace of fake news threatens to destroy the credibility of media and so he asked media to effectively tackle and disprove false news by taking control of the narrative.

He praised The Samaja for completing 100 years of journalistic excellence and paid tribute to its founder freedom fighter Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said media is like oxygen for democracy. The more independent it is, the stronger democracy will be," he said.

Governor Prof. Ganeshi Lal, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and others were present on the occasion.