Reflecting on the visit of the PCI team : Ball in Govt’s court
- Sangai Express Editorial :: September 28, 2013 -

The delegation of Press Council of India (PCI) interacted with Manipur's journalists at Hotel Classic on 25th Sep 2013 :: Pix - Ashok Ningthoujam

They came, they saw, they have left.

During the two day visit, the members of the Press Council of India, indeed managed to convey the message that they were here to genuinely listen to the adverse circumstances under which journalists in Manipur have to work.

The All Manipur Working Journalists' Union and the journalists by and large too seemed to have prepared well in advance for the visit, submitting a report on the assaults and pressures mounted on the media persons as well as the response of the Government in each cases.

Not exhaustive, but the report submitted by the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union did throw a light on the situation prevailing here. Apart from interacting with the media persons, the PCI team also met the Deputy Chief Minister, the DGP and the Link Principal Secretary (Home) in the absence of the Principal Secretary.

In other words, the PCI members met people who mattered and highlighted the issues concerning the working journalists in Manipur. During the meeting with the Deputy Chief Minister, this was conveyed in clear cut terms.

A message that at least a regulatory body like the PCI is watching the response of the State Government to the situation under which media persons have to work here. The ball is now in the court of the State Government and it is up to the people who matter here to ensure that the visit of the PCI members is not reduced to just another sojourn taken by a regulatory body to a place like Manipur. So far positive.

This is what The Sangai Express would like to believe in. However, as stated above, it is up to the State Government and the people running the affairs of the State to ensure that the visit does not come a cropper.

Or is this wishing for the Moon ? Hard to say and perhaps it is here that a reminder is in line, a reminder which may go some way in making the recent visit more meaningful and fruitful.

Lest it is forgotten, this was not the first time that the PCI had deputed its members to Manipur.

It was only as recently as in 2007 that a team from the PCI comprising of Hiranmay Karlekar, KS Sachidananda Murthy and Geetartha Pathak visited Manipur after the PCI constituted the Assessment Committee on violation of Freedom of Press in North East.

The Assessment Committee or the PCI team comprising of the said three members arrived at Imphal on a two day visit on September 27 and conducted an on the spot inquiry to assess the situation. The report of the Committee was adopted by the PCI in a meeting held on October 4 and 5, 2007 at Goa.

Like now, the Assessment Committee or the PCI team met the then CM in charge, Th Debendra, the Information Minister TN Haokip in Imphal and discussed a gamut of issues concerning the situation under which journalists in Manipur have to work.

To cut a long story short, after meeting relevant officials and other stake holders, the Assessment Committee drew up a seven point recommendation in which it was clearly laid down that the State Government should not impose any restriction or pre-censorship on the media in the name of fighting militancy, special incentives for media persons working under hazardous conditions and to provide benefits which should be appropriate for media persons working in conflict situations.

Six years down the line and there is nothing to suggest that the State Government has taken up or shown any inclination to implement the recommendations. Rather it has preferred to respond to situations as and when they come up. Knee jerk responses, in other words.

It is also significant to note that the recommendations of the Assessment Committee submitted to the Government never reached the media offices, at least The Sangai Express did not receive it.

A glaring example of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations failing in its duty ?

Come to think about it, this should not come as a surprise in the face of the State Government failing to respond to the written intimation sent to the Chief Minister by the Chairman of PCI, recently on the safety of journalists. (Please refer to The Sangai Express dated September 25, under the caption "PCI sub-committee arrives to take stock of situation").