Shri Narendra Modi launched the Gujarat edition of Business Line newspaper on the morning of Friday 24th May 2013. Shri Modi wished the very best for the growth of the paper and 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 will do well in the coming years, the editors will realize what it means to be ten years late (in Gujarat)! Shri Modi took on the 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.”
Shri Modi pointed out that technology has taken the media by storm and particularly gave the example of how social media has influenced the media in a major way. He said that the strength of social media has been accepted by the established media as well, which is seen in the fact that print media and magazines have had to launch online editions of their papers and journals. “This is because the reader will not wait…all this shows how the world is changing. 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 opined. He also stated that social media has given a fresh perspective to everyone.
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?” Shri Modi also pointed out to a difference between criticism and allegations.
Earlier, Infosys Co-Chairman and President of CII, Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan spoke on the occasion. Describing Shri Modi as a global leader who many want to emulate, he said that it was a privilege to share the dais with Shri 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.
Shri Modi at the inauguration of Gujarat edition of The Hindu Business Line: Full programme
