Semir on 'Free Speech' held in Shillong

A REPORTER

SHILLONG, June 22: An interaction session on “Free Speech and Right to Know: The Media in a Time of Conflict” organized by the Thma U Rangli Juki and Shillong Press Club was held in the city on Monday.

Speaking during the interaction session Sukumar Muralidharan a prominent jourlist said that the ture of relationship between the media, the reporting fraternity and the judiciary should be established in a ‘sound footing’.

“We need to set up a relationship in a sound footing because once you start off with a bad note that’s going to sway your future prospects,” said Muralidharan.

Muralidharan also said that the media is a platform through which the public expresses its views about the institutions of governce including judiciary and also as a means through which the public understands on how the institutions of governce function including judiciary.

 “A healthy kind of relationship under which there is mutual respect and there is an understanding of each other socio-political role, unless that is established, we are going through to more turbulent times,” said Muralidharan.

On the recent Meghalaya High Court’s ruling on bandhs, Muralidharan said, “I read the judgment and am quite surprise by the tone and implication of this judgment.”

Muralidharan further stated that the recent order of the Meghalaya High Court on bandhs will not stand the taste of ‘public interest’.