People should come first in politics or in media: Arb
OUR BUREAU
GUWAHATI, Nov 13: Noted jourlist Arb Goswami said that legislators should give top priority to the people in their agenda.
Addressing the legislators of the Assam Assembly at Dispur today on the topic, “Legislators and Relationship with Media” during the third phase of Xabal Bidhayak, a series of orientation programmes initiated by the Assam Assembly, Goswami said, “We are all here because of the people. People should come first whether it is in politics or media.”
Addressing the participants, Goswami said that Indian jourlism is stronger than jourlism elsewhere, and the media here can question everything including religion—something not practised by the western media.
“At the same time, Indian media is independent and secular—it can cover issues for instance as to why a woman cannot enter a place of worship. While in UK the media is very structured, in India it is not,” he said.
“Media in India has come a long way. Today’s media is an unusual media. It is confrontatiol unlike media in earlier days which had information but little impact,” Goswami added.
“Politics is about taking responsibilities. Development follows when the media behaves responsibly and politicians too work responsibly,” he said.
Terming the New Media as an activist media or campaign driven media, he said that today’s media follow ups news until there is response from the concerned quarters.
He said that today jourlists are no longer dissemitors of information only. Media is a reflection of the changing country.
“Legislatures should open up new relations with the media, both should think about how they can work together and not how they can fight,” he added.
Veteran politician and former minister Abdul Muhib Majumder addressed the participants on ‘Procedural Devices Available to Members to Raise Matters of Urgent Public Importance on the Floor of the House’. Former Chief Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta also addressed the participants and spoke on Parliamentary etiquettes, ethics, customs and conventions. He said that if the legislators follow the rules and procedures of the Assembly, it will be beneficial both for them and the public. Phani Bhusan Choudhry, who has been representing his constituency for the seventh consecutive term, threw light on General Rules of Procedures of the Assembly - Questions, Legislations and Resolutions.
He said that it is very important for an MLA to know how to put a question in the Assembly, which question is to be given priority and how to frame a question.
According to him, the question must be focused and proposals should be such that it includes the problems and issues important for the state as a whole apart from the problems of a particular constituency.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Gautam Barua, Director, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Guwahati said that new and relevant courses should be introduced in the ITIs and there should be vocatiol courses for those students who cannot pass Class X.
State Water Resource minister Keshab Mahanta said that for legislators media is the medium to reach the masses.
Veteran jourlist Samudra Gupta Kashyap stated that media and politics are inseparably related and while media plays the role of a watch dog, it also has its own responsibilities.
Dipak Kumar Barthakur, Vice Chairman, State Planning Board, speaking on ‘Skilling and Regenerating Assam’ said that courses must be developed with an eye on the employability sectors of the region.
He also said that there has to be a Skill University in the region in order to boost employment. Before that, Mr Wasbir Hussain, Executive Director, Centre for Development and Peace Studies, presented an overview of skill development initiatives in Assam.