Letter to the Hoot—R R Gopal and POTA

The recent arrest of `Nakeeran` editor R R Gopal in Tamil Nadu under POTA has invited huge media attention and condemnation from the press and anti-POTA groups.

Though this may appear correct and justified in the first instance, a re-look at the episode presents a completely different picture. The arrest has been made because Gopal went as an emissary to the forest to meet Veerappan.  Though his journalistic background and his earlier encounters facilitated him being chosen as an emissary, where does his role as a journalist come in here?. The arrest has also been made on the fact that he was privy to some details, where the present TN government suspects a crime.

This is in no way to justify the high-handed way in which the TN government is using POTA.
But how can this arrest amount to the infringement of press freedom?. The episode  raises the critical question of the transgression of the journalistic role. All along, we students and beginners in the profession have been asked to maintain objectivity and neutrality. Had Gopal stuck these basics, he wouldn`t have been arrested. This behaviour can also be seen in Delhi, where senior people from the media enjoy membership in some government appointed committee or the other. This seems to be a quid-pro-quo kind of situation, where few people in the top echelons of the press enjoy benefits for being sympathetic to the ruling party.

This was case with Gopal too, where he was seen close the DMK. The media, rather than seeing this an attempt to curtail the freedom of press, should have a re-think on the journalists` role. I, as a beginner, think that by restricting its role the media can retain the moral high ground.

Karthik M.
Student

Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media

Bangalore