Media must take stand against fake narratives, says Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday urged the media to take a stand on “anti-national narratives” and misinformation. He lamented that events with a short shelf life often grab headlines.

He also expressed pain over certain instances of “manipulative reporting”.

“Imagine a paper reporting ‘vice president posting fake photographs’. When invited the attention, the paper apologises. But I know I can’t be invasive, I can’t be in official action mode,” he said.

The vice president felt the need “to develop in the country a habit of hand-holding, counselling”.

“We cannot damage our mother or institutions. We have to nurture them. Democracy gets nurtured when each of its institutions, including media optimally perform,” he said.

Dhankhar said the media works as a bridge between policymakers and the public, adding it should not work with “partisan interests” as it subverts the cause of the common man and the nation.

Speaking at an event here of the Pratidin Media Network, Dhankhar suggested that editorial space should be “very critical” for everyone and wondered why it was “disappearing”.

He said the editorial focus should be on sensitising people.

Dhankhar also suggested use of technology such as machine learning to neutralise anti-national and fake narratives.

He urged the media to take a stand on anti-national narratives, misinformation and disinformation.