New Delhi, September 1: The North East Media Forum (NEMF), New Delhi on Monday condemned the threat and attack on Hornbill TV reporter Deep Saikia.
In a strongly worded condemnation statement, the North East Media Forum condemned both the political intimidation of Saikia by Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland Yanthungo Patton and the violent attack that followed.
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Hornbill TV reporter Deep Saikia was reportedly threatened publicly during an official function by Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister and was subsequently shot at while performing his professional duty.
On August 23, during a public meeting in Wokha district, Nagaland, Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, who also holds the Home and Border Affairs portfolios, singled out and rebuked Mr. Saikia by name. He instructed him “not to sit in front of him,” warned that he would “not tolerate” any questions, and even claimed to have asked people to “chase him away” from Naga areas, the NEMF stated.
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Barely a week later, on 30 August, while covering the Zinnia (Flower) Festival in Laii village, Senapati district, Manipur, Mr. Saikia was shot– sustaining injuries to his right leg and underarm by an unknown assailant wielding a pressurized air rifle, it stated.
Saikia was promptly evacuated to the Senapati district hospital and later transferred to better facilities in Nagaland; thankfully, doctors have confirmed that he is now out of danger, though a bullet remains lodged in his body. Hornbill TV, through its editor Dzuthono Mekro, condemned this “shocking and reprehensible” attack, characterizing it as “a direct assault on press freedom and democratic values”, the North East Media Forum stated.
Expressing its solidarity with Deep Saikia and the entire journalistic community of the Northeast, the NEMF stated that journalism is the cornerstone of democracy, and resorting to threats or violence to mute journalists is unacceptable.
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Further, the North East Media Forum demanded a prompt, transparent, and impartial investigation by the Governments of Nagaland and Manipur, and law enforcement agencies. It also demanded that all individuals involved– from political figures who issued threats, to those who carried out the attack– be held accountable, regardless of rank or affiliation.
The North East Media Forum also demanded enhanced protective measures for media professionals, particularly those reporting in sensitive or conflict-prone regions while calling upon elected representatives to recognize that public criticism is not a crime, and that journalists must be allowed to carry out their duties without fear. Intimidation of any kind is antithetical to democratic principles, the NEMF stated.
It also urged the civil society, press clubs, human rights groups, and citizens to unite in defending press freedom and ensuring the safety of those who speak truth to power.
“The attack on Mr. Saikia is not an isolated incident, but a stark reminder of the growing threats journalists face in parts of Northeast India. It is the collective responsibility of the government, media institutions, and the public to ensure that the press can operate freely and safely,” it added.
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