Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
This write up is addressed to Orissa Chief Minister Navin Patnaik, because he alone is capable of taking steps to tame the lady Collector of Nawarangpur district, Ms. Rupa Mishra, who is marked for manners not becoming of a Collector.
It is quite disquieting that she could ignore the decorum of her Office to intimidate a working journalist of premier daily ‘The Samaja’ reportedly as her photos are frequently not being published therein.
Sri Banka Bihari Bishoi, reporter of The Samaja had been to the Collectorate in professional pursuit and was in conversation with the District Welfare Officer Mukund Nihal when Ms Mishra barked at him as to why had he come to the Collector’s Office!
I am here to collect information for my paper, Bishoi replied. She asked him to get lost forthwith and as the shocked journalist was at a loss to understand, she went on hurling abusive words to intimidate him. This was in the presence of the Police Chief of the District!
The Samaja today has given this shocking news a double-column heading, putting forth the reason of her wrath with the words, “mora naama o photo Samajare kahinkin prakash paunahin?” meaning why my name and pictures are not appearing in Samaja?
Mr. Chief Minister, how sad!
Should reporters be hackled like this by a lady Collector of a district if her name and photos are not published to her pleasure by their newspapers?
Dear Chief Minister, The Samaja of today has cited names of Officials who are witness to this sordid conduct of the lady Collector. It has even reported that the district Superintendent of Police present on the spot had tried to prevail upon her not to be so rude to a working journalist on duty to which she refused to heed.
The lady Collector has no legal right to ask a working journalist not to discharge his duty in such filthy style and on such flimsy grounds. The government ought to understand this and officials being cited as witness, it ought to verify the truth from them and if corroborated, immediate steps should be taken to discipline the lady collector with a message to officials not to indulge in the luxury of intimidating the Press.