Assaulting journalists on duty :: AR : Gaining more infamy
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 16, 2015 -
Making it to the news for all the wrong reasons.
Just a few days after the blockade on the Imphal-Moreh road was lifted, the Assam Rifles are again in the news, again for reasons which should not make the oldest paramilitary force proud.
Defeating the very purpose and intent in which the numerous Civic Action Programmes have been taken up across the length and breadth of the State.
Just a few days after the Imphal-Moreh road blockade was lifted, came the news that a journalist on duty was assaulted in the heart of Moreh town by Assam Rifles personnel.
To ring out the message that such acts cannot and will not be tolerated, the Editors’ Guild, Manipur and All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union have decided to blank out all news issued by the Assam Rifles, through the office of its Public Relations Officer.
Not a desirable development, it is, and this is where the conduct of the men in uniform need to be studied minutely.
Assaulting a journalist on duty is certainly not something which must have been taught to the officers and jawans and it is unbecoming of a force which is supposed to be disciplined.
Assaulting a journalist on duty is definitely not something related to maintaining law and order and why this blew over the heads of the Assam Rifles men can only be explained by the sense of immunity and impunity granted to them.
It is nonsensical acts like this which can only give more weight to the sense of alienation felt by the people of the region.
Not the first time that journalists have been assaulted while on duty and this will not be the last either and there is as yet no indication that things will change for the better.
A complete overhaul of the mindset is what is needed.
Both sides will have their own story to tell and definitely it is not right that anyone should sit on judgement.
However it seems a little far fetch to believe that an unarmed man would try to assault anyone surrounded by body guards, armed to the teeth.
Moreover, it is also unacceptable that anyone, more so when one is out on duty to maintain law and order, should confiscate the pens and cameras of a journalist.
By the same yardstick would the Assam Rifles men have accepted any attempt to seize their guns ?
What gave them the idea that the pens and cameras of journalists on duty can be snatched and confiscated ? Comes close to an act of goondaism.
The uniform they wear and the guns they carry should not give them the license to target professionals who are out covering an event.
The seeming lack of education is hard to fathom.
If a mistake has been committed, what is stopping the Assam Rifles authority from saying sorry and setting things right ? It is this devil may care mindset that is unacceptable.
An understanding should be worked out and matter settled and important it is for all concerned, particularly the higher ups of the Assam Rifles to come round to the idea that they cannot let their boys reduce anyone on the streets to punching bags.
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