Kathmandu, Sept 9: The speakers at a programme in the capital city shared BP Koirala’s perspectives toward journalism and media persons.
The towering figure of Nepali politics, BP Koirala, not only entertained news critical to him but also urged journalists to write news on his and his government’s weaknesses, the speakers reminded.
They were addressing the programme titled ‘BP’s perspective towards journalism’ which was organized by Nepal Press Union on his 111th birth anniversary in Kathmandu on Sunday.
At the programme, noted journalist and political analyst Kamal Koirala exampled, “When BP was elected through the 2015BS general election and became the Prime Minister, there was a weak opposition. Then, he invited the journalists having different faith and urged them to write news critical to the activities of the government he led. It adequately signaled how his perspective was towards journalism and media persons.”
Koirala observed that it was BP’s high respect to the journalism.
He further reminded that it was BP Koirala’s government that introduced the practice of providing advertisement from State to the newspapers for writing news criticizing government works.
That same provision is now a public welfare advertisement, he argued. “Our family has the contribution to the journalism since the very era of Pitaji Krishna Prasad Koirala. Pitaji wrote in the Janmabhumi newspaper which had Surya Bikram Gyawali as an editor.
BP also involved in journalism in a direct or indirect manner,” Kamal Koirala stated. Kamal Koirala is the son of Matrika Prasad Koirala, brother of BP Koirala. Moreover, Kamal Koirala brought the reference of BP requesting to Madan Mani Dixit, who was close to communist party, to write news censuring wrong acts of the government.
Former President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Harihar Birahi, expressed happiness over the Nepal Press Union for organizing such programme which was first of its kind as it was on BP’s perspective to journalism.
“I involved in journalism being inspired by BP,” he said, adding that many operatives during panchayat regime used to visit BP in exile in a camouflage of journalists. But, BP answered their questions in a comfortable way.
It is essential to conduct a broader study on BP in relation to journalism, he pointed out.
Another former President of FNJ, Kishor Nepal, observed that it took long time for Nepali journalists to know well the politician who loved journalism. Union Chairman Shiva Lamsal vowed regularity of such programme. #koirala #BP
