Misusing the media's credibility

BY Vishnu Rajgadia| IN Media Practice | 28/09/2009

I need some information from a person for making a news story. He does not want to talk to the media. If I disguise myself as a police officer and catch him; he would be bound to tell everything he knows. My news story will be complete. Buy will the law permit this? Will the society forgive this act?

The West Bengal CID and police committed this cowardly act. The popular leader of Lalgarh movement, Chhatradhar Mahato was caught on September 26. The police did this by disguising its men as  journalists. The police officer pretended to be Anil Mai, a correspondent from Asian News Agency, Singapore. He first took a local journalist into confidence. The police officer went along with the local journalist to take Chhatradhar Mahato's interview; and then arrested him.

Every institution has its own field of work. Each of them has been given authority and liberty to execute their responsibility. The people trust the institution in accordance with the role and duties assigned to it. The person confessing in front of a Priest in Church has full faith in him. A lady exposes her body in front of the Doctor just because she trusts the good name of his noble profession. It is essential for every institution to maintain its dignity and autonomy. An institution does not have right to play with the people's belief and sentiments to attain its selfish motives.

The Prime Minister and President of India repeatedly spell in their speeches that Maoism or Naxalism is an outcome of socio-economic-political reasons. The involvement of mass in this movement is also very obvious. Thus in order to expose the proceedings of this movement and bring the aspirations of the people related to it, media has the right to play a key role. The media would be able to do it only when the activists as well as the common people are taken in full confidence.

The media person risks their lives by visiting remote places in order to get true picture of the story. The only tool to defend them is their identity. No one can be permitted to defame its identity. After this cowardly act of Bengal Police, the media person will be seen with a suspicion in any part of the country. This can in turn even bring threat to their lives.

Many a times in such cases, the Police or the Administration tries to use media person as an agent. A similar attempt was made in Latehar in Jharkhand. When the reporter refused to do it, he was accused of various charges by the police. The then Editor of Prabhat Khabar, Ranchi Mr. Baijnath Mishra wrote a reply and gave various logical explanations in favour of freedom and role of media. As a result, the Police did not tried to use the media as an agent during its mission against Naxalism.

Now the West Bengal's Police has attacked the credibility and the good name of media by disguising itself as a media person. This may be registered as a 'historical mistake'.  This is totally an objectionable, unpermitable and unethical crime. The entire media community and society should condemned and oppose this deed so that nobody dares to do it again. This should be assured that it is never repeated further in future under any circumstances. A clear law with this regard should also be prepared immediately.

Please consider signing the online petition to protest this misuse and to demand a law to prevent such possibilities. Please click here- (or copy-paste in address-bar)

http://www.petitiononline.com/wbmisuse/petition.html