Thieves always see their enemies in the Moon

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Journalist Satya Prakash Nayak of Zee-Kalinga, who has been aptly, ably and fearlessly exposing the misrule that has engulfed Orissa, has posted the following words in social media: FaceBook.

In these testing times, it is indeed tough to tread on the path of ‘SATYAPATH’….After sincere and truthful journalistic career and scores of investigative stories, causing high impact, a commoner like me has attracted the wrath of the high and mighty. Sometimes my family is probed under the cover of ”regular inspection”. Sometimes I get threat calls that I shall be killed or thrown behind bars under false case of woman harassment. These forces however cannot deter my spirit. Coz my ISHWAR or PRABHU is on my side.I am ready to do Satya Ra Samna….Are you with me?

Our answer is the strongest ever possible: YES.

We know, ever since Naveen Patnaik has taken over Orissa, attack on Press has become as frequent as menacing. Attack on Journalists by criminals under the nose of the police,leading even to annihilation of some is as rampant in Orissa as arresting and torturing uncompromising ones under charges of sedition. In submitting a well documented White Paper on such menacing attack on Press, Media Unity for Freedom of Press (MUFP) had cited many instances including what happened to Kirti Chandra Sahu, Khuturam Sunani,  Meghanad Kharsel , Lenin Ray, Laxman Choudhury, Sriharsha Mishra,  Kirana Mishra, Jagannath Bastia, Banka Bihari Bishoi, Dinesh Das , Ashok Pradhan, Bolan Gangopadyaya, Abhay Pati, Dandapani Mohapatra,  Amulya Kumar Pati, Manas Jena, Sujit Mullick, Chandrakanta Das, Biranjan Mallik, Jagadananda Pradhan, Prasanta Patnaik, Akhand, Bhabani Das, Suryamani Mishra, Debasis Mallik, Ramnarayan Das, Srikanta Sahoo, Somanath Sahu, Kiran,  Prasanta, NM Baisakh, Anup Ray and Rajat Ranjan Das. A lady journalist – name kept hidden – was even molested by uniformed men at ISCON car festival, Bhubaneswar, such has become congenial the climate to crime against the scribes in Orissa. Attack on individual journalists apart media organizations are also being attacked by hooligans. An instance is attack on EPA weekly at Bhubaneswar.

The White Paper on Attack on Press in Orissa mentioned. “A major reason behind the spurt in attacks on media persons in Orissa is the state government’s growing intolerance to any view that does not toe the government line on corporate and mining interests –particularly those dealing in precious metals like iron ore and bauxite. These companies, people are told, will usher in ‘rapid development’, create enormous employment opportunities and make Orissa a land of milk and honey. There is a concerted effort to manufacture consensus on the need to roll out the red carpet to these companies and turn a blind eye to their flagrant violation of all laws and norms of civilized corporate behavior. When media persons refuse to buy this line and raise questions on the acts of omission and commission by the government and the corporates, the wrath of the government falls on them like a ton of bricks” (MUFP White Paper released on March 5, 2011)

The attempt to intimidate Satya Prakash Nayak is the latest instance of threat to Freedom of Press in Orissa. Thieves always see their enemies in the Moon. When Satya has been exposing the misrule that has engulfed Orissa, who is he that is seeing his enemy in Satya Prakash? Overwhelmed by attack on Press, for the first time in history of Orissa, members of Press had boycotted on records the proceedings of the Assembly in July 2010 and the whole House had expressed agony over the Government’s failure to protect the Press. We had suggested that a specific Law be enacted to ensure safety of journalists. Till date the politicians have stayed away from creating such a legislation. The following topic carries our suggestion. It was captioned:

Needed is a Law against attack on Press

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