Journalists in Manipur have been assured of a high-level probe into the killing of a fellow scribe. The state government had lately decided to ask for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe to identify the killers of Konsam Rishikanta. A trainee sub-editor of the Imphal Free Press, an English daily, Rishikanta, was shot dead by miscreants in state capital, Imphal on November 17.
The cabinet of the Okram Ibobi Singh government finally decided to hand over the case to CBI, as it was rigorously demanded by the agitating journalists. In fact, the entire mediapersons of the state under the banner of the All-Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) took the path of agitation demanding justice. They were on strike for more than a week, when all local newspapers and television channels did not hit the stand and went off air.
"For full 11 days under the banner of AMWJU, the fraternity went on a cease work strike until finally the government relented and decided to hand over the case to the CBI, in a cabinet decision," reported the Imphal Free Press. Earlier the agitating journalists met Ibobi Singh. Trouble-torn Manipur has lost five editor-journalists in attacks since 1993. They also took out a protest rally on November 26, where thousands joined them demanding prompt actions against the culprits.
The month of November also witnessed the killing of an Assamese scribe. Jagajit Saikia, a correspondent for Amar Asom, a leading Assamese daily published from Guwahati. Shot at and killed in broadday light on November 22 at Kokrajhar, the headquarter of the Bodoland Territorial (Autonomous District) Council in lower Assam. Jagajit, left behind his wife, a minor daughter and his parents.
Mediapersons in Assam condemned the killings and engaged national and international media bodies for pursuing the investigation and security for the working journalists in the region. Moreover, Assam journalists sent a memorandum to the President Pratibha Patil urging her intervention. The memorandum said 20 editor-journalists were killed in Assam during the last 17 years and not a single perpetrator of these crimes have been booked under the law.
A protest rally was organised by the Journalists Action Committee, Assam (JAC) on November 25 which was addressed among others by Kanaksen Deka (editor of Dainik Agradoot and President of Asom Sahitya Sabha), Ajit Kumar Bhuyan (editor of Asomiya Pratidin), Adip Kumar Phukan (editor of Edinar Sangbad), GL Agarwala (editor of Purbanchal Prahari and owner Amar Asom), Prashanta Rajguru (executive editor of Amar Asom), Dileep Chandan (editor of Asom Bani), Hiten Mahanta (senior journalist).
Soon after the meeting, presided over by Bhupen Bhattacharya (editor of Asomiya Purboday), hundreds scribes and other attendants joined in a procession to the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro) to hand over the memorandum to the President. But shockingly the DC did not come out to receive it, which annoyed the journalists and forced them to stage a brief demonstration in front his office. Later the memorandum, signed by the president Sanjib Phukan and secretary Prakash Mahanta of JAC, was sent directly to the office of the President.
The Editors Guild of India also expressed shock at the killing of scribes in Manipur and Assam and appealed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "to take personal interest in the situation" and if necessary, order a CBI investigation into the murder of journalists.
The national forum of editors in a statement said, "The Editors Guild has noted with increasing dismay the spate of violent incidents involving journalists in the north-east and has brought this to the notice of the union home ministry. We hope that concerted action will be taken to ensure the safety and security of journalists."
Guild president Rajdeep Sardesai later personally met Singh to apprise him about the situation in the Northeast. Sardesai, also editor-in-chief of CNN-IBN, said the Prime Minister had expressed concern over the recent killings of journalists and asked chief ministers of Assam and Manipur for prompt investigation into the incidents.
Finding himself in an awkward position, Assam chief minister (also in charge of the the staet home portfolio) Tarun Gogoi, announced an ex gratia grant of Rs 300,000 for the family of Saikia three days after the incident. Gogoi also assured that the government would take the responsibility of his daughter. The chief minister declared that the culprits would be arrested and appropriate punishment given to them.
