APUWJ flays attacks on Fourth Estate

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The media fraternity of Arunachal Pradesh is shocked to learn about the assault of a journalist in Assam who was tied to an electric pole and beaten up in broad daylight on the eve of the National Press Day.

Reports said that Assamese daily Pratidin's correspondent in Mirza in Kamrup district, Milan Mahanta, was assaulted on Sunday. Videos and photographs of the attack have been circulating in the media and so far, reports indicate that police have arrested one accused person in this case. Reports further said that Mahanta's attackers may have been part of a gambling ring on whom he has been reporting recently.

"The Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) is appalled by the development. "Not only is this a blatant attempt at curbing the right of a journalist to report on issues, the manner of the violence is despicable. We question as to how the law of the land can deteriorate to such an extent that goons feel emboldened to act with such an impunity. The Union hopes that the culprits are brought to book swiftly," stated a release.

"Additionally, the APUWJ is also concerned over the Meghalaya High Court's decision to not quash a criminal case against veteran journalist and editor of The Shillong Times, Patricia Mukhim, for a Facebook post.

Mukhim's statement made on the social media platform are not devoid of facts, and instead of taking her to task, the Courts and other government authorities should focus on arresting those actually guilty of breaking laws and sowing the seeds of communal discord in Meghalaya. We are also distraught by the continued lack of response from the Editors Guild of India to such attacks and systematic acts of suppression by government bodies in the North East. The repeated arrests of Manipur journalist, KishorechandraWangkhem, is another instance where the guild's silence has been deafening."

The region and its people already feel a sense of distance from the rest of the country; and such silence only adds to the feeling of alienation. We pray and hope that the guild looks inward and acts in a manner that reflects the 'India' part of its name," the release added.

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