Transparency good, but keep media out of deliberations: Goa CM

Panaji, Sep 21: Transparency is good, but it has limitations and the media should be kept out of processes and deliberations because it tends to create confusion, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Sunday.

Parrikar, who was speaking at Confederation of Indian Industries' (CII) 'Knowledge Connect' project, also said the media should be used only to communicate final outcomes and decisions.

"Many times people speak because they are going to appear on TV. Then they realize that they haven't said the same things which they had in mind," Parrikar said.

Seminars or discussions in a think-tank often don't come out with real outcome, because they are often playing to the media present at such events, he said.

"I don't say that you should not put up results before the media. You put up results before the media. I don't have a problem with that... Knowledge churning has to take place in a restricted forum," Parrikar said.

He added that while participation should be encouraged, such processes should be conducted behind "closed doors".

Besides, Parrikar said transparency has its own limitations and mentioned the live broadcast of the state legislative assembly proceedings as an example.

"Transparency is good. People should know who's saying what in the assembly. I supported showing the assembly online, but I feel that because it is online there are some heroics. Some of the things which are said are said because the camera is focussed (on MLAs)," Parrikar said.

He also said there was a tendency in the media to create confusion.

"...someone from the media asks me a question. The question is good, I explain it to them. But the rest of them don't know the question nor the explanation. They do what they want, creating confusion," the chief minister said.

Parrikar has taken on the media on several occasions in the recent past.

IANS