Some good , some bad ; but you can’t stop small newspapers whether you give support or not
- Imphal Times Editorial :: March 11 2018 -

Hectic preparation is going on for official inauguration of aged old projects in the state during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi this March.

As per announcement by the Chief Minister N. Biren Singh Union Home Minister Rajnath who is also visiting the stat will inaugurate the Integrated Check Post (ICP) constructed at Border town Moreh.

The government led by BJP under the Chief Minister N. Biren Singh will be a year old by March 15.

Inauguration of the project which remain unfinished for quite a long time will not only prove the efficiency of his government but is also will make the people happy thinking that Manipur is changing with the coming of a new government.

Well and good, the state now sees some changes even though it is still early to say whether the projects that is going to be inaugurated in March month will certainly do good for the state, as the people had witnessed many inaugurated projects useless in the past regime.

Social media is flooded with thanksgiving words to the new government under the leadership of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh over his high skill in resolving issues which might cause inconveniences to the people.

Words of appreciation for making the state a bandh free and for bridging the gap of misunderstanding between various ethnic communities is perhaps worth mentioning here.

Now the N. Biren Singh regime is going to complete a year by March 15. He had launched an Anti Corruption Cell to fight the menace of corruption and later was converted into a full time police station.

Many seems to be happy with the kind of initiative, but the fact is that level of corruption is higher today comparing with the last regime.

Questioning about proof or evidences of this truth is irrelevant, as every bodies knows that nobody provide a received for money paid as bribe.

It is easily understood on the way that some top functionaries in certain department or statutory body including the MCPCR etc. are appointed.

Exposing of the high level corruptions is done through media.

Being from the background of journalism, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh is using all means to control the media and he also seems to understand that existence of to any newspapers and media houses in the state would be a headache to his government.

Perhaps this is the reason that the N. Biren Singh led government is trying everything it could to minimize the number of newspaper publication in the state.

Since this paper has started writing some critical editorial to his government, the DIPR now have stopped issuing of government advertisement some few months back.

Not only to this newspaper but to other small newspaper which cannot be controlled by his government also stopped receiving the government newspaper.

On the other hand, bill amount submitted for earlier advertisement are also put to halt as the Chief Minister understand that without support from the government small newspaper like the Imphal Times will not be able to survive if they cut off the advertisement or halt the payment.

May be this government may succeed in abolishing the existence of this newspaper , as running a paper particularly the smaller newspaper depend on government advertisement for payment of salary to staffs.

But one thing Imphal Times will make it clear is that no matter, we get advertisement from the government or not we will survive till our last breath and will keep on writing the wrongs in the government as well as in the society.

No government had ever succeeded in suppressing media in the History of the World.