Dear friends, Here is a statement from Meghalaya journalists. Regards, Nava Thakuria
Serious view on police highhandedness Press Statement Shillong, 12 September 2007 The members of the Shillong Press Club met on Wednesday and discussed threadbare the letter (to the editor) titled, "cow, police and administration", published under the Letters to Editor columns of The Voice of Garo Hills in its 28 august 2007 issue and the arrest of its editor, Utpal Chandra for publishing the said letter. After deliberations, the meeting unanimously adopted the following resolutions: 1. The members unequivocally condemned the arrest of Utpal Chandra, editor of The Voice of Garo Hills for publishing the letter, which was uncalled for. The district administration and police could have approached the established forum of the Press Council of India or even approach the court to redress their grievances. Though the members observed that the editor has erred by not editing the objectionable language and words used in the letter, and failing to regret it, the editor has the right to withhold the identity of the author of the letter. Therefore, the members demanded that the editor be released immediately and unconditionally. 2. The members took a serious view of the police highhandedness at the behest of the administration - handcuffing of the editor, confiscating of his mobile and computers and ordering closure of his publication. Any investigation the administration deemed fit could have initiated without arresting the editor. All these are tantamount to muzzling the Press. Therefore, the members iterated that the editor should be allowed to resume his publication immediately. 3. The meeting also took note of the issues raised in the letter, which merit proper investigation. The state government must order an independent probe into large scale cattle-smuggling(and alleged nexus between officials, police and smugglers),which has been reported in the various media. sd/ sd/ General Secretary, SPC Vice-President, SPC P.S: Today a journalist delegation met the chief secretary and handed over the press resolution, demanding his immediate release.
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