Media should play role of moral watchdog: Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi

Governor honours senior journalists in Tezpur

A Correspondent

Tezpur: “In an era of globalization, journalism has a huge and sacred responsibility to play. Never, before in the last 200 years did the developing countries have an opportunity to be in the limelight as they do today in the age of globalization,” said Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi while attending the Prafulla Chandra Baruah, Radhika Mohan Bhagawati, Hari Barman and Manik Deuri Memorial Journalism Awards ceremony organized by the All Assam Journalist Union (AAJU) at the historic Baan Theatre on Friday where the Governor conferred award on eminent journalists Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Munin Bayan, Prasanta Rajguru, Long Sing Teron and Surya Thaosen.

Prof. Mukhi said that more than half of the world’s GDP, measured at purchasing power parity was generated by developing countries. He, therefore, said that the journalists in India had a greater role to play in disseminating information and mobilizing the people exclusively to highlight the development narratives. He also requested the journalists in the State to set good examples of global integration and become the mouthpiece to convey the contribution of the developing world to the global economy.

He also said that journalists were the brain behind the cross-national transaction and it was because of their unrelenting involvement that people across the globe get to know about the fruits of globalization.

Stating that India was proud of its free and responsible press, he called upon the journalists to have a greater stake in the growth of the nation. He also stressed that media should play the role of a moral watchdog to ensure that it maintained high moral standards and kept itself free from the influence or threat of any extraneous factors. “Free press is one of the foundation stones for a successful democracy and it is an essential pre-requisite in a world of a challenging phase of media reporting,” he added.

Referring to Edmund Burke, a member in the House of Commons who termed the journalists as the fourth pillar of democracy while delivering his speech in the Parliament, Governor Prof. Mukhi said that to uphold the spirit of freedom of the press, the journalists should resolve to work ethically without any fear or favour.

The Governor also paid his heartfelt tributes to journalists like Lakshinath Phukan, Harendranath Baruah, Kirtinath Hazarika, Dr. Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya, Jogesh Das, Radhika Mohan Bhagawati, Prafulla Chandra Baruah, Chandra Prasad Saikia, and others on the occasion.

Earlier, a book titled Itihasor Usuponi on historical monuments and archaeological sites of Sonitpur and nearby districts, written by Pankaj Nath, president of All Assam Journalist Union was unveiled on the occasion.

Advocate Dr. Ramesh Chandra Borpatrogohayan and Vice-Chancellor of KK Handique Open University, Dr. Hitesh Deka were present as the guests of honour while the Deputy Commissioner of Sonitpur, Manvendra Pratap Singh was present as a special invitee.

Also Read: Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi visits TMCH, LGBRIMH

Also Watch: DGP Kuladhar Saikia officially handed over charge to Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta in Guwahati