Expressing concern on the increasing trend of corruption, favoritism and nepotism culture in the state, Senior journalist Iboyaima Khuman, call upon the journalists in the state to take pro-active role in the fight against corrupt practices.
“With the local media confined to only reporting to what the elected MLA, Ministers and bureaucrat say rather than investigating and analyzing how far their commitments are true, this section of people have considered the media as objects that can be overwhelmed in the way they like”, said the senior journalist who is also publisher of Imphal Times daily.
Imphal Times, an English evening daily published from Imphal celebrated its 3rd foundation day at Manipur Press Club with AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shamjai as chief guest on Saturday.
Speaking during the function, Iboyaima further said that media is the watch dog of society. When the media taking the role of a watch dog, gives more thrust on investigative journalism to expose the malpractices of the officials or parliamentarians, corruption can be minimized in the state.
He also expressed his desire to strengthen the number of lady scribes in the state.
AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shamjai said that journalists in the state should work with ethics and integrity. People will lose their trust with media when we failed to work with ethics, he added.
With Impact TV chief editor Yumnam Rupachandra as moderator,a discourse on fight against corruption was also held. Dr Alexander who spoke as resource person said that RTI and Lok Ayukta are the best tool to fight against corruption.
However, these tools, he said, are not used by the people properly.
“We only focus on small thefts like lifting of duck, but overlook the big thefts committed by the top officials and elected Ministers and MLAs,” he said.
Editor of Imphal Times Ringku Khumukcham recalled the hardships he experienced in founding the first English evening daily in the state while highlighting the aims and objectives of the paper.
