Apropos to the Editorial, ‘Goonda Raj’ which was featured in the 31st January 2006 edition, this open rejoinder is being necessitated before the venom of the ‘mighty pen’ could blind ‘the eyes of truth’.
As avid reader of the esteemed daily since its inception, the Sangai Express has been much credited for ushering in a news paper revolution to Manipur. A major junk of the English readers prefer it over other dailies for its better colour qualities and content coverage. However, of late, certain discrepancies if not poor journalism appears to be seeping down into the editorial desk. The very foundation of the press media loses its ground and credibility when it fails to uphold the ‘truth’, which is the hallmark of a ‘just journalism’.
The point under question here is the manner in which the MLA-DC incident at Ukhrul was incongruously notionised. As the content of the editorial suggests, it apparently proves that Editor give little effort if not nothing to ascertain the factual truth about the incident that brewed up between the MLA and DC. It has given another vivid instance where a reputed daily for no known motive have cashed on in a poor news feedback/source. For sure, the scuffle that ensued between the peoples’ elected MLA and the DC was very unfortunate.
However, what was more unfortunate was that the public commotion in the aftermath of the incident, which was sparked by your editorial. The matter got compounded when some certain media savvy organizations jumped swiftly into the fray with press releases branding the peoples’ representative as the main offender. According to what is widely understood, the physical assault meted out to the DC by workers of the MLA was necessitated when the infuriated DC threw down his shawl, stood up, pointing his fingers walked up to the seated MLA and grabbed the MLA’s collar. More than the abusive words hurled upon the MLA, the DC went on to the extend of ordering his guards to shoot the MLA and his workers. As this happened right under the nose of the MLA’s workers and security guards, this should give us a clear idea who the referred, ‘Goonda’ was. Such high handedness of the DC is not only a grave mockery and impingement of the government protocol but is perceived as a severest act of humiliation and insult on a people’s elected representative. If the law of the land could go on allowing such official (DC) to behave so high handedly against an elected peoples’ representative without impunity, the very fate of the common people and the democracy is at stake.
The future course of the law would reveal more insightful truth. Let it take its own course. As of now, the Editor should not hesitate to come out with fitting justification, the basis on which he has comparatively dragged in the case of Bihar and referring the workers of the MLA as ‘Henchmen’ and that of MLA as ‘Goonda’. Your one sided editorial which was opinionated only on a poor if not single version has not only caused an irreparable damage to the cause of truth and factual journalism but has also given a huge impetus to a section of people who works overnight to draw and gain political mileage by capitalizing on such incident.
Seth Shatsang, Aya A. Shimray
Ukhrul
