On the present trend, he maintained that the media has been discouraged due to the rising influence of the government. The working journalists have been subjected to think twice of the consequences of reporting something, he said.
TFM Report
Former United National Liberation Front (UNLF) chief RK Meghen (Sanayaima) on Thursday stated that the media in Manipur needs to be “courageous and someone has to lead by example”.
He was speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the observation of the 84th birth anniversary of Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba, a pioneer of investigative journalism in the state, at Lamyanba Shanglen, Imphal.
Meghen further said that being in a conflict situation, journalism in Manipur had been subjected to struggle between two “powers”. Despite the difficulties, the media of the state had covered the armed political movement adhering to the ethics of journalism, he added.
On the present trend, he maintained that the media has been discouraged due to the rising influence of the government. The working journalists have been subjected to think twice of the consequences of reporting something, he said.
“Reporting the truth to the people is the ethics of the media. The role of the media is not to judge, but to inform the people about the truth and let the people take their own decisions,” he added.
Meghen said that NK Sanajaoba was one of the founding members of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), although he was a journalist by profession.
He was the first editor of the monthly journal of the Manipur Youth League. The journal reflected his zeal for investigative journalism. He is regarded as the first investigative journalist of the Northeast region.
He later published well researched, investigative articles when he was in Lamyanba, a monthly journal. Amongst the many critical articles he had written, his series of articles under the title ‘Yukhal Marumda’ under the pen-name ‘Thengra’, brought forth his ideals about investigative journalism, Meghen added.
On the renewed demand for a constitutional safeguard for the Meetei/Meitei, Meghen maintained that all the stakeholders need to bring about a consensus to plan for the further generations of the indigenous peoples of the state. The reservation system has compartmentalized the society which will further lead to the fragmentation of indigenous peoples. There are loopholes in the system, because of which the indigenous peoples have not been able to unite, he added.
On the frequent election related violence in the state, Meghen said that the present system is rooted in the model of “the end justifies the means” in order to grab power. Democracy has become a victim of the process itself. “Being a part of India where many undemocratic features have reared its head in recent times, the phenomenon has spread to Manipur”, he observed.
Arguing that liberalism and democracy cannot survive side-by-side, he maintained that after India became a liberal economy after 1991, the tendencies for fascism and autocracy have been developed in India.
Democracy can only survive and thrive in a socialist society, he said and added that the present democracy in India is only for the wealthy few, not for the poor.
Poll related violence is not surprising, he said and added, “it is only logical”. It is a manifestation of the system and only the people are the victims, he observed.
The event on Thursday was organised by the NK Sanajaoba Memorial Trust. Many from different walks of life paid floral tributes to the late pioneer journalist.