Journalism is considered as one of the pillars of a democracy, Minister for Medical Education and district in-charge Sharan Prakash Patil has said.
He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a Press Day function jointly organised by the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists and Raichur Reporters Guild at Veerashaiva Kalyana Mantapa in Raichur on Sunday.
Dr. Patil said that reporters are always forced to work under stressful conditions. “Journalists should follow proper sources who provide accurate news. Your news and articles have ample power to change the government if it is not working for the welfare of the people,” he added.
Expressing concern about the fewer number of readers, the Minister said that journalists should get them back to reading newpapers by publishing good and quality news. He assured journalists of solving any problem faced by them and making efforts to sanction sites, issuing bus passes and giving other facilities for them.
Dr. Patil said that he will take a delegation to the Centre to press for the demand for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for Raichur as the proposal has already been submitted.
Minister for Minor Irrigation N.S. Boseraju has said that journalism has now become an industry and journalists are forced to work under it. Therefore, they are helpless in bringing out the truth in public in the interest of society. “Honest and committed journalists still exist and they are working silently taking up issues at the government level for solution,” he added.
The Ministers felicitated journalists and photojournalists for their service in the field and gave away awards during the event.
President of the district unit of the union R. Gurunath, president of the guild Channabasavanna, Members of Legislative Assembly Hampanagowda Badarli, Basanagowda Daddal, Shivaraj Patil and Karemma, Deputy Commissioner Chandrashekhar Naik, Superintendent of Police Nikhil B. and others were present.
