WKH scribes condemn DC’s defamation threat

NONGSTOIN: Journalists in West Khasi Hills have expressed shock over Arunkumar Kembhavi’s threat to file a defamation case against newspapers for printing the report about dubious voters and enrolment of his parents’ names in the voters’ list.
The journalists have said that the claim of the deputy commissioner that none of the news items issued by his office was published was wrong. They clarified that till date they have published more than 40 news items issued by the DC.
On the claim that Kembhavi’s view was not taken before publishing the report about EPIC, the journalists said it was a press release from KSU and they found out that the information was true. But they also published his comments on the Facebook account that Kembhavi had uploaded.
“We are not intended to defame anybody and we expected that the DC was satisfied with the clarification, but (we are) shocked to know that he is yet to be satisfied and is still putting the blame on us,” they said.
Pointing to Article 19 (i)(a) of the Constitution, the journalists said they have the freedom of speech and expression.
They said the DC’s move seemed to be intended to gag the fourth pillar of democracy from reporting stories which would displease the people of the district and publish only his activities.