Kaski, Nov 13: Minister for Finance Janardan Sharma asserted that the press should be the watchdog and alert against anti-democratic activities.    

Inaugurating the second convention of Press Centre Nepal, Gandaki Province Committee in Pokhara today, Minister Sharma urged the media sector to protest the tendencies that suppress people's rights and protect the constitution of Nepal.    

He said, "The press should establish positive things. You should speak up against the anti-democratic activities that prevail in the party's internal dispute", appealing to the media sector to work in order to bring social changes.    

The Minister also requested the journalists to write down about the corruption and irregularities. He also appealed to the journalists to expose the wrongdoings of the political parties and government without being biased.    

Stating that the constitution envisaged of socialist-oriented country, he underscored the need to practice the ideologies, schooling and values to achieve socialism with self-reliance and sovereignty.    

Minister Sharma suggested the Press Centre determine the course of action to be enjoyed and established in people's voices.    

Sharing that Public Welfare Advertisement would be made systematic in such a way that it should be received by all media, he added that the Press Council was urged for the assessment of online media and public welfare advertisement would be provided even to online media after it.    

Similarly, Gandaki Province In-Charge of CPN (Maoist Centre) and former Minister Hitraj Pandey stressed that revolutionary journalists should raise the voices of the people.    

Gandaki Province Secretary of CPN (Maoist Centre), Devendra Parajuli, Central Coordinator of Press Centre, Maheshwar Dahal, Province In-Charge of Press Centre and central committee member of Federation of Nepali Journalists, Tribhuvan Poudel, central committee member of Press Union, Shrikanta Poudel, among others demanded freedom of the press as per the constitutional provision.    

On the occasion, former Chairpersons of Press Centre—Lok Prasad (LP) Banjara and Tribhuvan Poudel, were honoured with letters of appreciation for their contribution to the development of journalism and organisation. The convention would elect new leadership for the province committee for the next two years.