Speaking virtually at the RedInk Awards organised by the Mumbai Press Club, Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said on Wednesday, 29 December, that "nothing can be more lethal to democracy than the deadly combination of confrontational polity and competitive journalism," reported The Hindu.
Ramana delivered the keynote address at the award ceremony, which recognises excellence in journalism. Calling the profession "noble," he remarked that he too had started his career as a journalist and understood the "difficulties and struggles" of speaking truth to power, which he said, was "an immense responsibility."
As per PTI, the CJI equated the legal profession with journalism, as both required one to have "a strong moral fibre and moral compass." He then spoke on the rising trend of views being mixed with news, terming it a "dangerous cocktail."
"Regardless of the ideology you profess and the beliefs you hold dear, you must do your duty without being influenced by them,” he said, according to PTI. "Allowing yourself to be co-opted by an ideology or the state is a recipe for disaster," he added.
Congratulating the winners, which included The Quint’s Creative Director Tridip K Mandal, he said that it was fitting that the Mumbai Press Club had organised the awards for fearless journalism, as the city had been "at the forefront of protecting the freedom of speech and expression," as per The Hindu.
The report also noted that Justice Ramana cautioned journalists about "attention economy," and stressed the need for "unbiased, fact-based reportage" in the 24/7 news cycle and the reach of social media.
Stating that the media and the judiciary work together in "Mission Democracy" to protect national interest, the CJI stated that the media "must have belief and trust in the judiciary" and has a "duty to defend and protect the judiciary from motivated attacks by evil forces," reported PTI.
Justice Ramana concluded his address by paying his respects to late Reuters photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, who was posthumously awarded the ‘Journalist of the Year’ award. Calling him a "man with a magical eye," the CJI remarked that "if a picture can tell a thousand words, his photos were novels."
(With inputs from PTI and The Hindu.)
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