PANAJI
Media persons are free to critique me, but reportage without facts is a strict no-no, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said at the National Press Day function which was held in the state capital.
Sawant also cited an instance of a meeting where he claimed a crowd of 5,000 was in attendance, but on the next day it was reported that only 200 persons had attended the said meeting.
"Until now, not a single journalist can say that I have asked about why such a thing has been written. If someone criticises me or there's a critical video (about me), I have never asked anyone. I have done it just once or twice when the news was completely wrong," Sawant said.
"There was an event with a 5,000 crowd and the published photo said not even 200 people. Please write facts. Criticise me so that I can learn from it. I have a habit of learning," he also said.
The Chief Minister also said that he was alright with media criticism, because unlike the opposition, which timed its critiques ahead of elections, media censures were instant and helped the government course correct its decisions and policies.
"Journalists and government should be together every time, to both convey good work of the government to the people and the ills of the government too. It is your right," Sawant said.
"If the government does something wrong, the opposition will wait for elections to expose it, but (media) reflects the wrong immediately. It is the government's job to correct mistakes in the interest of the people. We are working in the interest of the people," the Chief Minister also said.
Sawant also assured that media pensions would be increased in the coming year, adding that the decision to increase pensions could not be taken because of the dent caused to the government treasury due to Covid.
