SHILLONG: The Dalai Lama had a message for everyone on his first visit to the state, even for the media.
Speaking at a press conference at Pinewood Hotel on Wednesday, the renowned Buddhist monk said that the media’s role is to educate, investigate and sniff out corruption.
“You should have a long nose like an elephant’s,” he told the 50 or so journalists present adding that the task of journalists is to sniff out what is really going on and make public all the wrongdoings and hypocritical statements they find.
“The media should educate people. You only talk of money and cars. That is no guarantee for a happy life. The media also has an important role in the promotion of religious harmony,” the Dalai Lama went on.
“Make these wrongdoings clear, make them public but provided you are yourself very honest, truthful and unbiased,” the Tibetan spiritual leader said, adding that no one should be immune from the piercing gaze of the media, not even one of the world’s most respected and honoured leaders.
“I hope I’m not corrupt but still you have to check me,” the witty spiritual leader observed.
He said some religious leaders say very nice things about compassion, contentment and simplicity, but they are behaving in the opposite way. “If the media exposes their real activities, the people will take their shame seriously. Yours is a special responsibility,” he concluded.
He will leave Shillong early on Thursday morning.