• Minister Karki says media must enable ‘stable’ political climate

Kathmandu, April 3 Participants at a two-day international seminar here today have underscored the need for the media in both countries to play positive role in further strengthening political, social and economic ties between Nepal and India. The seminar, with the theme ‘Role of Media in Promoting India-Nepal Relation’, was organised by the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communications of India in collaboration with Kathmandu University, BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation, Kathmandu and Media Action Nepal. Inaugurating the event, Minister for Information and Communications Surendra Kumar Karki remarked that the media should take interest in further consolidating political ties between Nepal and India and also at the people-to-people level. He argued, “There is no country in the world where economic boom is unbound by political influence. Hence the communication sectors should support in enabling stable political climate.” Also speaking at the programme, parliamentarian and journalist from India Tarun Vijay noted that they could learn a lot from Nepal known for the valour of brave Gurkhalis. He commented that the Nepali media were not giving high priority to news relating to India’s strides in the international development sector. Similarly, diplomat Jayaraj Acharya said that the Indian public are keen to keep themselves updated on the major political developments in Nepal. He cited the mounting concerns of the Indian public over declaration of Nepal as a secular country despite the fact that the majority of the public are batting for reinstating Nepal as a Hindu nation. Vice Chancellor of the organising University, BK Kuthaila said that the event was organised as a part of the University’s programme to conduct media related events in and outside India. The event will see deliberations on the issues of commonalities and differences between Nepal and India from the journalistic viewpoint, said professor of journalism at KU, Nirmal Mani Adhikari.