Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
A blanket ban has been imposed on entry of media persons into the troubled zone in Kalinga Nagar ever since the police unleashed a reign of terror in the name of maintenance of law and order in several tribal villages including Baligottha.
I strongly condemn this unprecedented assault on Press freedom and demand for immediate withdrawal of the ban as it interferes with free and fair reporting of the ground realities and the actual status of the victims of State violence.
Under call of MUFP, Bhubaneswar today witnessed an unprecedented congregation under the ‘Freedom of Press Tree’ in front of the state Information center (Soochana Bhawan) of media persons beyond boundaries of trade unions to condemn the attack on their colleagues and gagging of Press.
It was a silent protest, but the condemnation was sharpened with speaking pictures of the prevalent scenario as perceived by media.
We present here a few of those pictures as samples:
No elaboration needed. The pictures are self explanatory.
If mediapersons are debarred from spotting what exactly happens, they would grasp the scenario as circumstantial evidences entice. These pictures depict that, as also they speak.
Because, howsoever severe the repression be, the silent people will not relinquish their right to speak.