Media should not become battleground for partisan politics: Vice President Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said media should not be a power broker and it serves its cause best by being objective and not getting involved in politics.

He also termed the debate over the Citizenship Amendment Act "orchestrated" and urged the media to play its role in such a situation.

The law does not deprive any Indian citizen of his or her citizenship rights but an impression is being generated differently, Dhankhar said.

"It is unfortunate that some failed to recognise the historical context and soothing impact from human rights perspectives to persecuted minorities in the neighbourhood," he said, referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act, rules for which were notified recently.

The vice president said the media serves its cause best by being objective and not getting involved in politics. "We know the ground reality. I will not reflect more on it," he added.

"The media has to only do its job. The fourth pillar of democracy is also accountable," Dhankhar said, addressing the NDTV Indian of the Year awards here.

He also said that the media should be an agent to convey the right perspectives to understand India rather than be prey to orchestrated narratives seeking to taint and tarnish the country's image.

The vice president claimed that the media cannot be a "registered recognised or unrecognised political party" and said it should take all precautions so as not to become a battleground for partisan politics.

The media, he said, cannot be a platform for the free fall of untenable information. "It damages our democratic fabric, it shatters individual reputations, it shatters institutions. If you start floating info without due diligence, it can wreck our economy, social fabric," the vice president said.

An informed public, Dhankhar underlined, is the spinal strength of democracy.

Misinformation can be ruinous and media is a natural watchdog to contain and curb such free fall of misinformation and falsehood, he said.

"If the media does not do it, then who will do it? There is an urgent need for media and media houses to reflect to have a mechanism in this direction," he added.

Dhankhar also referred to "economic nationalism", saying it is quintessentially fundamental to growth.

If India practices economic nationalism, it will save billions in foreign exchange, he said.

Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, a group of scientists, including those from ISRO, and Dr Yazdi Italia, who works on sickle cell anaemia, were among those awarded.