Chief Minister Pramod Sawant would be well advised to focus on his faltering governance instead of advising the press as to how they should go about their job. Goa’s journalist fraternity is doing a good job and in a democracy it is absolutely essential that the press has to be free from political, government or any other external interference. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights. Freedom of expression is one of our most precious right without which there cannot be true democracy and as a consequence it will not ensure good governance. The threat to freedom of the press hangs like the proverbial sword of Damocles. The press is considered to be the watchdog of democracy. Sadly, there is scant regard for this truism though ironically, our country is the world’s largest democracy.
Freedom of the press does not mean a license to write anything that suits those in power. This freedom is precious and it has to be used judiciously and fairly. When this freedom is misused to keep those in power content, the public respect for the Fourth estate is bound to shrink and the press has to guard against this.
