The Govt. of West Bengal today resorted to a move that totally infringed upon Article 19 of the Constitution of India,that guarantees freedom of speech and expression to every citizen of India.To suppress the on-going movement for Gorkhaland, the Bengal Govt. closed down all the local news channels of the hills, alleging that they were all functioning illegally. All local channels operators were arrested by the raids made by CRPF jawans, currently deployed to take control of the law and order situation in the hills.
It transcends one back to the pre-colonial days of the Vernacular Press Act of 1878, where the Indian dailies were barred from writing anything against the British govt. or rather because they spread a nationalist fervour and sentiment. The local news channels serve as collective source of information for the people of the hills and present news in the Nepali dialect, which is also recognized in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Furthermore, as Nepali is the mother tongue of most of the populous of the hills, these news channels have become the most effective instrument to disseminate news and information for the locals.The Govt's move to depreive the people from this electronic medium of communication is also a clear violation of individual rights and freedom.
This is where the role of the national media becomes all the more pivotal and the heart of matters. News in any form, be it the print, electronic or social media in today's world is the birthright of every individual and its infringement by any group, political system or even state machinery disturbs the fabric of democracy. Everybody can have a voice, either to be or not to be heard.
by Zamyang Zimba
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It transcends one back to the pre-colonial days of the Vernacular Press Act of 1878, where the Indian dailies were barred from writing anything against the British govt. or rather because they spread a nationalist fervour and sentiment. The local news channels serve as collective source of information for the people of the hills and present news in the Nepali dialect, which is also recognized in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Furthermore, as Nepali is the mother tongue of most of the populous of the hills, these news channels have become the most effective instrument to disseminate news and information for the locals.The Govt's move to depreive the people from this electronic medium of communication is also a clear violation of individual rights and freedom.
This is where the role of the national media becomes all the more pivotal and the heart of matters. News in any form, be it the print, electronic or social media in today's world is the birthright of every individual and its infringement by any group, political system or even state machinery disturbs the fabric of democracy. Everybody can have a voice, either to be or not to be heard.
by Zamyang Zimba
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