Jarkiholi urges media to support city growth

Belagavi

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has called upon journalists to practice responsible journalism to aid Belagavi’s progress. Speaking at the inauguration of the Belagavi Zilla Electronic Media Journalists' Association (BZMJA), he said the city’s image is suffering due to sensational reporting on caste, religion, and language.

"Because of such exaggerations, investors are hesitant to come here, thinking Belagavi is an unstable city," he said. He noted that personal disputes are often portrayed as communal conflicts by the media, allowing wrongdoers to shield themselves behind caste, religion, or organizations.

“Journalists should be very careful while covering sensitive topics. It’s better to double-check facts before presenting them. That’s the duty of the fourth estate,” he added, pointing out Belagavi’s communal and linguistic sensitivities.

MP Jagadish Shettar also stressed unity, saying Kannada and Marathi speakers coexist peacefully in Belagavi. “Some people raise language issues for political reasons. Reporting personal disagreements as language disputes is unfair,” he said.

He cautioned that even small issues are sometimes blown out of proportion by national media, affecting Belagavi’s growth and reputation.

The event was attended by MLAs Asif Sait, Babasaheb Patil, Mahantesh Koujalagi, and MLC Channaraj Hattiholi. Also present were Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan, SP Bhimashankar Guled, City Police Commissioner Iada Martin Marbaniang, BCC Commissioner B Shubha, and others.

BZMJA President Manjunath Patil and District Journalists' Association President Vilas Joshi were among those who participated.