New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India has finally expressed their concern over the criminal charges against The Shillong Times editor, Patricia Mukhim. The reaction came after the resignation of Mukhim from the scribes' body, as she felt she was ignored by the body as they did not respond to her appeal made earlier.
Journalist Patricia Mukhim was said to be guilty of creating communal disharmony by the Meghalaya High Court, for voicing out her opinions on a Facebook post. Mukhim, who approached the Guild for a statement criticising the order, did not get any response nor any support from the guild. Out of utter disappointment, Mukhim resigned from the guild.
Although late, the Guild finally showed some concern over her case. The Guild, in a statement, said that what Mukhim has faced is a threat to freedom of speech in our country.
The Guild said, "Patricia Mukhim's case is an example of how multiple legal provisions can be used against free speech and therefore against the free press. Several provisions across multiple laws give a handle to government agencies and law enforcement authorities to lodge criminal cases against journalists wherein the criminal complaint procedure itself becomes an exacting punishment, and acts as a deterrent against the exercise of free speech."
Calling it as the "prime responsibility" of the media to question and report about things, the Guild said, "Media cannot be held liable for relaying information that may bring to fore details on fault lines within the society, or for that matter, corruption and mismanagement in government affairs."
In Mukhim's Facebook post, she had called upon Conrad Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, R Chandranathan, the DGP of the state and Dorbar Shnong, the traditional institute to take action against the culprits behind the brutal assault by the people on non-tribal boys who played basketball in a tribal majority area. However, the case was reversed and it was the Dorbar Shnong that filed an FIR against her.
Mukhim approached the scribes' body but did not receive any support from the. She resigned from the body on November 16, saying she feels "completely out of place" in the Guild.