Ahmedabad: Social media’s reach is higher than all other mediums, observed Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today in a function to mark Narad Jayanti here.

Speaking further on digital media’s importance Rupani added, ‘it’s quicker and people keep spending lot of time with it. A person in present days would claim authenticity of news by saying, ‘it has come on Whatsapp’!’

Rupani in this function presented Narad awards to media persons from various fields including digital journalism.

Rupani pointed out that Narad would provide only information. He would not add his own manufactured details to it. To impose own thoughts on people is not journalist’s task. Journalists need to provide only pure information. Opinions of both sides should be accommodated. When writing against someone, a journalist should ask that person, what he has to say. Do place both sides and let people decide. News should be seen as news. Such practice will give prestige to journalists. All have career, and not just politicians, but all are put under test on day-to-day basis. Many politicians are forgotten but some officials or employees are remembered for long. Same is in journalism. If a journalist rises above biases, keeps large vision, works hard and provide only information, he earns prestige.

In reference to this, Rupani observed, ‘the gap between the people and the editor sometimes is very huge. It is realized later(by editor) that the results was opposite to what was written in his publication.

Rupani said the main reason of Narendrabhai’s success is continuous flow of information reaching him, based on which he makes his action-plans and moves further ahead. If feedback, information fail to reach, one starts thinking in one direction. In Jainism there’s a concept of ‘Anekant’ which means a thing, a situation needs to be seen not through one angle, but through all angles.

Rupani said, ‘sometimes it appears that the politicians don’t like journos because they criticize the government, but I should point out here that we take it positively. Negative news items in newspapers are cut and sent to officials and they need to respond to it to Chief Minister’s office by evening. Sometimes several things are out of the knowledge of the government.’

‘You should criticize the government, and do it very well, but not in a way that the entire system may break down,’ Rupani said and added, ‘if someone writes that British rule was better than today’s India, what kind of feelings such article would trigger?’

‘You should give it a thought, whether some article, some news items written by you would cause clash between communities.’

‘Narad would keep moving between Dev, Danav and Manav, but it should be understood here that he would go to Danavs only to receive information. Media persons sometimes give big weightage to Danavs(demons) which is harmful(for society). Care should be taken about how much importance demons should be given. Dawood can’t be given much publicity. Dr. Abdul Kalam had said how he saw 8 column news on the front page of newspaper abroad featuring a farmer’s success,’ Rupani said.

In lighter tone, Rupani said, ‘some people would say, ‘Duniya hilaa dunga’ (will shake the world), but I would ask, why someone should want the world to shake. The world is in order due to sacrifices of many people in the past. What shall be achieved by shaking the world?’

-DeshGujarat