Chief Minister Narendra Modi launched the Gujarat edition of Business Line newspaper on the morning of Friday 24th May 2013.
CM Narendra Modi calls popular power of media, the victory of technology and congratulated the Editor. He said that the newspaper should have entered Gujarat ten years ago, considering the fact that business is in the veins of the people of Gujarat. The Chief Minister pointed that when the paper go success in the coming years, the Editors will realize what it means to be ten years late (in Gujarat)!
CM referred to UPA and said, “We have to accept that the nation is going through deep policy paralysis,” and added, “I felt happy that my glass example has touched the Prime Minister very deeply. I had given the glass example during my speech at SRCC in an optimistic context and now the Prime Minister said he got the glass empty. I do not know what he means but in the last nine years, the glass is filled with so much corruption that there is no room for trust and confidence. Even if the common man has to take something from that glass, it is full of corruption.”
CM said that evolution of the media from print to electronic to social has empowered the people like never before. Describing the social media as a “new asset”, he said even established print medium houses were forced to go online as the readers were no longer ready to wait.“This popular power is the victory of technology and an impact of the awareness about the social media. There was a time when the impact of the share markets in Mumbai took 12-15 hours to reach Gujarat but now even news of the New York markets impacts us in a matter of seconds. He also stated that social media has given a fresh perspective to everyone.
Further talking on this point, CM stated the rise of social media and the quick dissemination of information has come as a big challenge to Governments as well. “Earlier, if something happened, Governments had 24 hours but now even 24 seconds is less! The world is changing fast and it is as much a challenge for Government. If these changes are not accepted there will be a big gap,” said the Chief Minister. He shared that moving ahead of E-Governance, M-Governance or Mobile Governance is where Governments will have to move towards.
The Chief Minister declared that such is the strength of social media that even the mainstream media has to follow the events that are noticed by social media. He described social media as being the voice of the common man. Shri Modi recalled the face of the media in the wake of the Emergency and asked whether the mindset of 25th and 26th June 1975 existed today or not. He stated that while in the last many years he has not blocked anyone on a medium such as Twitter or his Blog but those in power have time and again blocked people who criticize them. He affirmed, “They are not willing to listen to any voice against them or any criticism. If there is no criticism, how can democracy be strengthened?” He also differentiated between criticism and allegations, and said nothing comes out of the latter. But without criticism, democracy cannot survive, he added.
Earlier, Infosys Co-Chairman and President of CII, Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan spoke on the occasion. Describing CM Narendra Modi as a global leader who many want to emulate, and it was a privilege to share the dais with CM Modi, under whom the state has progressed in all aspects of economic development. “In CII we say that if every state grows at the same pace like Gujarat, we can get double digit growth in the country,” he added.
Thanking Mr. Gopalakrishnan and speaking in lighter vein the Chief Minister said, “I do not know if Mr. Gopalakrishnan has praised Gujarat or not but I will come to know in two days. If he gets an Income Tax notice, I will come to know he praised me. Mr. Narayana Murthy praised Gujarat and Infosys got a Rs. 500 crore notice on the 2nd day!”
Journalists of both the print and electronic media were present on the occasion.
Arun Anant, Chief Executive Officer, Kasturi & Sons Ltd, the publishers of The Hindu Group of publications, proposed a vote of thanks.
– Kidsfreesouls News Desk/CM site
– The Hindu – Business Line http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/
Pic courtesy: Paul Noronha
In the pic: Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister; Kris Gopalakrishnan, Executive Co-Chairman Infosys; Arun Anant, CEO, Kasturi & Sons Ltd; D. Sampath Kumar, Editor, The Hindu Business Line; and Mukund Padmanabhan, Editor-designate.
