TV channel faces government and ULFA wrath

Nava Thakuria

NE Television, a Guwahati based satellite channel faces anger   from the state government of Asom (earlier Assam) as well as threats from the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) leaders for its allegedly malicious reporting. While the Asom Government led by Tarun Gogoi has decided to go to court over a particular report in NE Television that spoke of a `hidden tie up` between government and ULFA in regard to  the 33rd National Games, the militant outfit threatened the channel management to prove the news or pack up from Northeast. The reactions from international arena were primarily focused on the threatening notice to the channel from the militant leader Paresh Baruah, where he asked the NE Television to submit proofs within one month that ULFA took money from the government However, the NE Television chairperson cum managing director Manoranjana Sinh declared that she will stand by the news story that was beamed on January 25, in both the Asomiya and English bulletins.  

The development started with Asom chief minister Mr Gogoi declared in New Delhi on January  31 that his government would file a case against NE Television for reporting an alleged understanding between the government and ULFA leaders asking the banned outfit to keep low during the forthcoming National Games scheduled on February 9-18 in Asom.   ?I have taken the matter very seriously and we are going to file a case against the TV channel,? he told the reporters in the national capital.

It may be mentioned that ULFA, in an e-mail message on November 18, declared their boycott call of the 33rd National Games, with the political chief of the outfit Arabinda Rajkhowa asking sports persons of the country not to participate in the sporting event. He argued that New Delhi was `imposing the National Games on the state` at a time when it was passing through trying times and the government was not solving anything. ?We appeal to all the players not to participate in the National Games so long as the Asom-India conflict is not resolved,? urged Mr Rajkhowa. The state government, of course, maintained its stand to help organize  the Games on schedule. Moreover, the boycott call by ULFA was met with  strong resentment from different sections in Asomiya society.

Following the increasing public anger, the ULFA leaders later softened their stand and proposed to change the name of the national event to Asom Sports.   The secessionist outfit, which is fighting New Delhi for an Independent Asom since 1979 argued that they would support the event, if it is named as `Asom Sports Festival`. In the December 1 issue of their mouthpiece `Freedom`, the insurgent group asserted that they maintained respect for the sportspersons and hence agreed to support the event if it is renamed as their choice. It also claimed that, ULFA would support an Asian Games or any kind of international games in Asom, but asserted that no such (Indian Games) sporting event should be organized in the state, until the Asom-India conflict was resolved politically.

But the threat to NE Television made the situation hotter. Reacting to the threat Manoranjana Sinh declared that they would stand by their news. She also disclosed that they ran a story on January 27, where it was narrated that the state government had persuaded the ULFA through a company in Kolkata to keep silent during the National Games. ?My channel and I will continue to insist that there is an understanding between the Congress and the ULFA, and thus between the State Government and the ULFA,? Manoranjana was quoted as saying to local media.

Earlier, ULFA militants stepped up violence in the state from the first week of January to take the lives of nearly 100 people throughout  Asom. Sporadic explosions took places in various parts of Brahmaputra valley including in Guwahati till the evening of January 25. Countering the violent activities, the central government launched a massive counter insurgency operation against the ULFA cadres in Asom and its adjacent state Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian army, paramilitary forces and state police continued combing operation in the trouble-torn locality, where nearly 20,000 soldiers are deployed.

Meanwhile, ULFA invited condemnation from local editors for its attitude to a media organization. Senior journalists namely Kanak Sen Deka (editor of Dainik Agradoot), Direndra Nath Chakraborty (editor of Dainik Asom), Dilip Chandan (editor of the Asom Bani) criticized ULFA leaders for their threatening approach to NE television. The Brussels based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) also condemned ULFA for its threat to the channel. ?It is a shocking that NETV has been threatened by a militant group for its stories and the government has done nothing about it except criticise the station as well,? said IFJ General Secretary Aidan in a release, sent on January 31.

But ULFA in its latest mouthpiece reiterated its threat to the NE Television. Arguing that that the outfit was yet to withdraw its call to boycott the 33 ^rd  National Games, it added that NE Television flouted all norms of journalism and truth by airing the news without any proof to substantiate. ?The TV channel has to clear the controversy it created by telecasting a news item stating that the ULFA received cash from the Government so as to allow the National Games go smoothly in the State,? the organization said in the mouthpiece Swadhinata (Freedom).