Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha emphasized the importance of freedom for journalists, as they mirror society by highlighting the mistakes of both the people and the government.
During the inauguration of a media workshop cum orientation programme at Agartala Press Club on Wednesday, the Chief Minister also said that journalists should maintain impartiality and neutrality, which is a challenging task.
Pointing out the importance of the media workshop and training, Dr Saha said, “Training is important for us; without it, nothing is possible. In every field, training is necessary and would help you in overall development. Sometimes we feel like we know everything and whatever comes to our mind, we write it on paper. Reporters may think that they know everything, but there is no end to gathering knowledge. We have to work while maintaining equality with the journalists at the national level. Fortunately, our government is also helping the journalists."
He further said that the state government is a media and journalist-friendly government.
“We don't believe in just talking; we believe in taking action, as everyone knows the kind of work this government is doing for the benefit of the journalists. Journalists are our fourth pillar of democracy, and their freedom is necessary".
"If we don't give them freedom, people will not be able to get proper information. Journalists are the mirror of society, and they show us if we have made any mistakes. They are like referees; they should not take anyone's side and should be impartial and neutral, which is a challenging task", said the Chief Minister.
Dr. Saha further assured that all the problems of journalists will be solved gradually as the government is actively working to solve all kinds of issues.