‘Journalists should feel free to write if there are flaws in my government’: Siddaramaiah

Mandya (Karnataka) [India], October 31 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday inaugurated the Inter-District Journalists' Conference in Mandya and said that journalists should feel free enough to write about any flaws they find in his government.
On the occasion, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "Feel free to write if there are any mistakes in my government." He called on journalists to honestly convey whether the government has lived upto its promises, whether it is working for the people or not."
Pointing out that there is no need for astrologer debates on the channel, Karnataka CM said, "If a crow sits on a car, how will it help the people of the state? TV channels discussed about this calling astrologers to the panel. Astrologers said I would lose power. They also said that I would lose power if I visited Chamrajnagar. But I have completed my first tenure and have become CM for the second term."
"What is the value of the astrologers' words who had predicted things when the crow sat on the car? Channels should not carry or conduct news and discussions on such superstitions," he added.
He further stated that authentic news should be carried on channels.
"Channels should get themselves into a ridiculous situation by writing news out of imagination. Stop airing distorted news. The channels hide the context in which I have spoken and make news out of it," he said.
Siddaramaiah also mentioned that he has never called any media people regarding any news about him. Chief Minister also advised the journalists that they have freedom of speech which has to be used with dignity.
The program was held under the presence of Jagadguru Nirmalananda Maha Swamiji of Srikshetra Adichunchanagiri Mahasansthan. The event took place under the aegis of the Karnataka Working Journalists Association. (ANI)