`Poor image’ of Gujarat blamed on English press

AHMEDABAD, FEBRUARY 14: The Gujarat Government on Monday maintained that a section of media, particularly national English newspapers, have failed to highlight the achievements of the State on various fronts and, on the contrary, `blown out of proportion’ minor issues that brought a bad name to the State.

During a luncheon chat with members of the Press Council of India and editors here, Gujarat minister of state for home and information Haren Pandya said the achievements of the State Government, as in the economic and rural development areas, have largely gone unnoticed outside the State. On the contrary, national media had, during the last two years, focused on `minor’ issues like the Dangs disturbances and the recent lifting of ban on government employees enabling them to voluntarily participate in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Replying to queries from participants, the minister, flanked by Press Council chairman Justice P B Sawant and editors of prominent Gujarati dailies, said hehad recently met editors of some of these national dailies and urged them to remove this anomaly.

Story continues below this ad

Referring to the State Government’s January three circular lifting the ban, Pandya said it was a `small issue’ since even after voluntarily participating in the RSS activities, all employees are bound to work as per their service conduct rules.

He pointed out that while the RSS and ABVP were banned in 1986 for the government employees’ participation, no such ban was placed on the equivalentoutfits like Congress Sewa Dal and ABVP for obvious reasons.