WILL FREEDOM OF SPEECH SURVIVE ? AT THE OUTSET,I DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT SHOULD BE REACTION TO THE MAMTA BANERJEE'S ANNOUNCEMENT TO GET HER OWN CHANNEL AND NEWSPAPER AND TODAY ASSAM CHIEF MINISTER SRI GOGAI ALSO ENDORSING IT.. THE CHIEF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESS LIES IN MAKING IMPARTIAL AND DISPASSIONATE COMMENT ON WORLD AND INTERNAL HAPPENINGS.IT SHOULD NOT BELONG TO A PARTY,A SECT OR A SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY,RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL BUT TO THE PEOPLE,TO THE NATION..IT MUST AVOID MISCHIEVIOUS PROPAGANDA AND BE DESTRUCTIVE AGAINST THE SOCIAL EVILS SUCH AS RISING PRICES,BLACK MARKET,CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT MACHINERY ETC..IT MUST WITH AN OPEN MIND CRITICISE THE INACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OR INDIVIDUAL AND URGE REFORMS.. BY HAVING GOVERNMENT'S OWN MEDIA WHETHER THESE THING WILL NOT AFFECT ? * FIRST DUTY TO REPORT FACTS.. *WILL IT NOT BE POLLUTED BY THE TOUCH OF THE SELFISH INTEREST... *WILL IT NOT BE COLOURED OPINION AND MISREPRESENTATION OF FACTS... *WILL IT BE FREE FRON ANY PARTY AFFILIATION... *WILL PUBLIC GRIEVANCES BE HIGHLIGHTED... GANDHIJI SAID "DEMOCRACY IS NOT A STATE IN WHICH PEOPLE ACT LIKE SHEEP..UNDER DEMOCRACY,INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY OF OPINION AND ACTION IS JEALOUSLY GUARDED.".. ABRAHAM LINCOLN SAID "DEMOCRACY IS THE GOVERNMENT OF PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE..IT PROCEEDS ON SUPPOSITION THAT ALL MEN ARE EQUAL AND SHOULD HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FREEDOM OF ACTION.. HOPE WISDOM PREVAILS AND A DEBATE TAKES PLACE ON THIS CRUCIAL ISSUE.. THANKS A LOT... WITH KINDEST REGARDS... SAJJAN RAJ MEHTA SOCIAL WORKER... .09845501150