PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday said he was afraid of the media when he first entered politics, after years in politics; he is today comfortable with media persons.
“When I decided to enter politics, media was the only element I was afraid of. But over the period of time, I realised that media persons are the best friends and guides,” the Chief Minister, who is serving a third term as MLA, said. He was speaking at the National Press Day function in presence of Chairman and Editor-in-chief The Print, New Delhi Shekhar Gupta, who was the key note speaker. November 16 is celebrated as the foundation day of the Press Council of India.
“Some people guide you through verbal comments or suggestions while some write and give you advice. The suggestions made by media persons play a vital role in shaping a politician,” he added. Parsekar, who completed two years as Chief Minister earlier this month, said, “Today I don’t feel hesitant or get tense thinking I have to face the media. I am comfortable with them. If I am not wrong, I am comfortable with each and every media person I interact with,” he added.
Later, Gupta delivered the keynote address on the topic ‘Reporting from Conflict Area – A Challenge for Media’. “As journalists it is important to be sensitive, fair and correct when reporting from conflict zones. The closer you are to the truth, the better,” he said.
The senior journalist said that media people have to be like good doctors and need to look at facts clinically. “Journalists need to be like doctors in the sense that just as a good doctor will diagnose and treat a patient only for his illness, and not on other factors such as religion, region etc, so also journalists must look at facts clinically,” he added.
