Shillong,, Feb 4: The Shillong Press Club (SPC) and the Meghalaya Editors’ & Publishers Association (MEPA) in a joint meeting held on Tuesday took exception to a social media post of the VPP Youth Wing which called for a two-wheeler rally on February 6, to protest against one of the signatories to the letter seeking apology from VPP President, Ardent Basaiawmoit for making baseless allegations against two news channels – Batesi TV and T7 and accusing them of disseminating fake news.
While Deimaia Siangshai as the president of SPC signed the letter seeking Ardent’s apology , Rajib Choudhury as the vice president of MEPA was also a signatory to the letter in the absence of the president and the general secretary of MEPA who are contesting the district council polls. “The signatory for the MEPA, who is also the Vice President of the Association, is a long-standing member of the press fraternity here and has worked in Meghalaya for over three decades. Under no circumstances can he be labelled as “mynder” (foreigner),” the joint statement issued by the SPC and MEPA said.
Rajib is a Fellow Panos South Asia and a senior editor and noted TV journalist.He has been covering India’s North East and South East Asia for various regional, national and international media houses and TV channels. He has been awarded by various national and international organizations for his contribution in the field of journalism
“Above all, the media in Meghalaya is a cohesive whole and does not practise any form of communalism or racism but has remained a united fraternity serving as the fourth pillar of democracy with all the conviction they can muster. It is therefore a racial slur to term a senior member of the press fraternity who is officially accredited by the State Directorate of Information and Public Relations as an ‘outsider’ when he is very much an Indian citizen like everyone else, unless the VPP considers Indian citizens residing in Meghalaya as foreigners,” the statement said.
“The press fraternity is committed to disseminating news as per media ethics without any fear or favour and without unduly patronising any political party,” they said.
