Nashik, Jan 27: India TV chairman and editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma on Saturday said it was the print and electronic media which channelised the nation's outrage over the gruesome gangrape and murder of a paramedic in a Delhi bus forcing the governent to act.
Addressing a gathering at the launch of the third edition of English daily Lokmat Times at Kalidas Kala Mandir here, Rajat Sharma countered Maharashtra PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal's contention that the electronic media was only sensationalizing stories of rape and corruption.
Bhujbal said media coverage should not be restricted "only to stories of crime and rape" but also focus on positive and development-centric stories.
Replying to Bhujbal's charge, Rajat Sharma described how politicians try to put pressure on media most of the times. "Politicians have indulged in corruption in deals related to dharti (CWG), aakash (2G) and paataal (coal), and it was the media which highlighted all of them.
Rajat Sharma cited the coverage of the Delhi gangrape-cum-murder incident and the role of the electronic media in creating awareness among people about growing crimes against women.
"We showed the resultant outrage following the brutal gangrape of the paramedic student on a moving bus in Delhi. We also aired the spontaneous protests by youths and corresponding follow-up", he said.
Eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani, and Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director of the Lokmat Newspaper Group Rajendra Darda also spoke.
Lokmat Times has editions in Nagpur and Aurangabad.
Countering Bhujbal, Noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani said "every family would get Rs 3 lakh if government retrieves black money stashed in bank accounts abroad".
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde who was scheduled to attend the event could not make it, organisers said.
