Prismatic thought
Like all other professions, journalism is also a kind of humanitarian profession that is part and parcel of the modern world. Gleaning impartial information is really an uphill task. This is like the contribution of knowledge. Nowadays, some journalists are shamelessly hobnobbing with politi-cians, and vice versa. They themselves show their cordiality in public. Often, they share photos on social media, visit each other without any social occasions, etc. This is nothing but blatant conflict. Relationships are like those between otter and fish. Journalists, being the fourth pillar of democra-cy and obliged to perform as keen watchmen of governing politicians, cannot be socially intimate.
So much so, some journalist unions now confer awards on powerful politicians. This is against the ethics of journalism and a mere act of flattery. Bribery is a horrible menace to society. An hon-our or award to a politician is like a bribe in kind instead of cash. Even some media houses func-tion as representatives of ruling dispensations. Of course, journalists are also human beings. They can have personal views of utter social importance without mingling with politicians.
I hereby try to draw the serious attention of parties concerned through your newspaper regard-ing this matter. “Check and Balance” in the US Constitution is one of the prime features of suc-cessful democracy. If the journalists play second fiddle to politicians, that will threaten our system, and constitutional issues will arise. So, all conscious citizens of the state should demoralise such endeavours of sycophancy. Be it readers’ or viewers’ boycott of particular media houses or chan-nels.
Arup Saikia
(arupsaikia07@gmail.com)
Spiritual awakening or moral degradation
The appalling incident of parading naked women on the streets and subjecting them to gang rape in Manipur raises unsettling questions about the direction of the evolution of Indian society at large: is it still a beacon of spiritual awakening or has it descended into a pit of moral degradation? This brutal dehumanization of society, dominated by hate-filled communal extremists, has unde-niably tarnished the image of the Northeast as a pristine land of swift-flowing rivers, lush forests, and warm and friendly people. It also poses a serious challenge to the unity of India, threatening the fabric that binds our diverse nation together.
MJ Azizi,
(azizimj265@gmail.com.)