Bengaluru, DHNS: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah answered various questions posed by journalists at an interaction organised by the Karnataka Media Academy here on Saturday.

Assumptive journalism

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has found a new category of journalism, assumptive journalism. He said, “Ooha patrikodyama is dangerous. Earlier, off-the-record information given to the media used to remain so. But now it is not so. Even a minor thing becomes big news.”

He said journalists have freedom to write what they want. “You criticise us, make comments, point out lapses, expose corruption. But there should be no room for blind beliefs.”

Siddaramaiah pointed out how a section of the media had blown-up an incident wherein a crow sat on his official SUV?and refused to fly away. “The media portrayed the crow incident as a bad omen. Some said that the government was bound to fall soon. Some TV?channels said I had bought a new car after the episode,” he said.

The chief minister said a new SUV was purchased much before the crow incident. Sometimes, media highlights news which benefits none, he said.

Discrimination

In the Hassan city KSRTC bus stand, women have to pay Rs 5 to use a public toilet, while it is free for men. Why this is so?

This was the question posed by a woman journalist of Hassan to the chief minister. She said, “A toilet managed by a private agency is collecting Rs 5 from women. But for men, it is free. Not less than 10,000 to 12,000 college girls from rural areas come to the city every day. On a daily basis, a girl student has to spend Rs 10 to use the toilet. This is not affordable for poor girls. If they have to pay fee, at least Rs 300 would have to be spent in a month. Find a solution sir.” There was no response from him.

Mandatory education

A suggestion by a journalist was that the government should make it mandatory for all government employees and elected representatives including the chief minister to get their children admitted to state-run schools and utilise the services of government hospitals was met with applause at the interaction. “Why not a survey be conducted to find why government employees and elected representatives are not going to government hospitals?” he said.

Siddaramaiah said it is not possible to make Kannada as the medium of instruction, because of the apex court ruling. The suggestion looks impressive, he said. But he remained mum on availing services of government hospitals.

Village without bus

Siddaramaiah was taken aback when a journalist pointed out that Kadyapura village in Jewargi taluk, Kalaburagi district has no bus connectivity. “People depend on tum tum (temp rickshaws) to reach the nearest town,” he said. Siddaramaiah said the injustice would be set right by providing a bus facility.

No tree-cutting

Siddaramaiah said the ongoing development works in Chamundi Hill, Mysuru, will not disturb trees. Even the roads are not going to be widened. A bus stand will be constructed and vendors will be able to conduct their business in an organised way after the works, he said.

Poorly organised meet

There was chaos during the interaction programme. Lack of proper moderation by Karnataka Media Academy led to several journalists asking queries simultaneously. Some answers got lost in the din.

The organisers had said that the chief minister will take queries pertaining only to developmental issues and there should be no political posers. As many as 10 journalists from each of the 30 districts were invited for the event. It ended up as a session to air grievances and suggestions.