SHILLONG: Demanding an immediate end to smuggling of sophisticated arms and ammunition from across the border by various militant groups, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Tuesday came down heavily on media saying “media is the number one publicity house of terrorist groups.”
“The media, both national and local, always focuses their reporting only when unpleasant incidents take place thereby, creating a negative perception about the states of the Northeast,” the Chief Minister said while replying to a motion moved by South Tura legislator John Leslie K Sangma.
“But the unprecedented natural calamity which struck Meghalaya last year did not get sufficient coverage in national media,” he said.
“It is only the paid news which media houses want to carry,” he said.
“I intend to come up with a stringent law to regulate the media. I am writing to other chief ministers of the Northeastern states and I will also be writing to the President and the Prime Minister to correct this,” the Chief Minister said.
On smuggling of arms from neighbouring countries, the Chief Minister said that the North-East will be free from the problem of militancy “if smuggling of arms is stopped.” Sangma said that the state had sought the cooperation from other Northeastern states in its fight against militancy. Stating that the issue of porous International border with Bangladesh has been taken up with the Central Government, the Chief Minister also stressed on the need to complete the peace process with militant outfits to bring a lasting peace to the region.
NPP attacks CM: Meanwhile, the NPP legislator James Sangma has criticized the Chief Minister for blaming the media for all the failures of the Government.
“When you run out of excuses for all the failures, it is natural for a person to shoot the messenger”, James told reporters while commenting on the outburst of the Chief Minister in the House.
According to James, it is natural for the media to report about the incidents and events as they unfold.
How can anyone hide these, and the media is doing its duty of reporting the facts, James said.
