Editor,
The controversy surrounding the participation of representatives from Meghalaya to the Cannes Film Festival, arguably one of the most important venue in the film festival calendar, has put the State in a bad light.
It was a golden opportunity for Meghalaya to send two among its most creative representatives to a festival that boasts of a marriage between art and commerce. The matter was simple. A letter from Joint Secretary Films, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, had come to the nodal department to select and recommend representatives for an exposure visit to Cannes to allow them to bring back learning experiences to the State to be further shared with creative individuals. However, a simple exercise was turned into a needless exhibition of power equation with vested interests, reducing the State’s image to dust in the eyes of the film fraternity, the Government of India, and the Embassy of France in India, while embarrassing the State Government and its functioning in the eyes of its own people. It is pathetic to see a deserving filmmaker withdrawing his candidature from something which would have done his craft a world of good. It now transpires that he was sold by vested interests, who had their own interests to serve.
What is also surprising is the role of a department (read bureaucrat) which has no locus standi to nominate the film makers. It has not only usurped the function of a legitimate department but also recommended a choice which has left a bad taste in the mouth. What the entire episode has done is to show that the Minister of the I&PR has no control over her own department, nor influence in the Cabinet. Her explanation to the media on the controversy betrays a sense of helplessness knowing that the bureaucrat in question wields a lot of clout. It would be interesting to watch what action the Chief Minister as the final arbiter take in this case or if he will just look the other way.
The I&PR Minister should have ensured that the individuals who got themselves nominated through deceit in the first place are withdrawn. If this is not done, her authority will be eroded for all times to come, with the same principles applying to other departments.
The name of Commander Shangpliang, the president of a film makers’ body of no consequence, and his proximity to the powers that be has also raised the heckles of top filmmakers who have won national and international recognition for their work. The individual in question was allocated a huge sum of money to conduct an international film festival, which did not cut ice with the people at large. The halls were largely empty, and awareness was non-existent. The standard explanation for his nomination is that because he has conducted a successful festival, he deserved to be in Cannes to represent the State. This statement comes from the same Department which has allotted his Organization the money to conduct the Festival with no accounting procedures, checks, and balances (already reported in a section of the media). There are talks that the organization owes money to many vendors, and that accounting procedures have been bypassed by the same individual.
The matter should not end merely with the cancellation of the nominations but the Augean stables must be cleaned. As the head of the bureaucracy, it is also enjoined on the Chief Secretary to take suo moto cognizance to probe the transgression of bureaucratic procedures and the authority-responsibility principal be laid down in no uncertain terms.
It must be ensured that in future, the over-arching powers of a single individual do not derail opportunities that come to the fledgling art and culture industry in the State. This development deserves to be condemned in the strictest possible terms and lessons be drawn up to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
By the way, the very manner in which the recently concluded Meghalaya International Film Festival was conducted must come into public scrutiny because a lot is at stake for the Government and the State. There was no candle to light the inaugural lamp. Renowned actor Adil Hussain saved the situation by fishing out a cigarette lighter from his pocket and doing the needful. Let us not forget that this event was funded and sponsored by the Department of Tourism and hence funded out of the public exchequer.
Yours etc.,
Pynshailang Lyngdoh,
Via email
Ranking of freedom of press further lowered
Editor,
India’s world ranking in press freedom is further lowered whereas the ranking of Pakistan and Afghanistan is better than that of India’s. Why it is so? I quote here two instances which happened recently and which will explain why the ranking of this country vis a vis press freedom has plummeted.
Case 1
This case is related to CPM Rajya Sabha member and who is also the best parliamentarian. He has written an article in a newspaper and titled. ‘Perils of propaganda.’ But a BJP leader from Kerala made a complaint to Chairman, Rajya Sabha under Section 153A and accordingly the Chairman had a discussion with Rajya Sabha member Brittas. Now the question arises whether India allows free speech?
Case 2
A press reporter from Delhi visited AAP party clinic for reporting but the lady reporter was booked by Punjab police under various criminal sections and had to approach high court for bail. In the media it is ŕeported that the same reporter had highlighted the Kejriwal official home renovation episode and it is for this reason that she was harassed. Can we call ourselves a democracy that allows freedom of expression and pursuit of truth?
When various functions are happening as part of the G20 conference such news reports really tarnish the image of the country. It is said that Democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. But when this democracy is converted into Buy the people, Far from the people and Off the people then ranking is automatically downgraded. It is worth mentioning that ratings can be improved by the government only.
India had seen the black days of emergency when there was suppression of free expression so there is no need of elaborating the same as that period is in the past. How press freedom has been gagged can be judged from the ranking as India’s ranking in the 2023 world press freedom index has slipped to 161 out of 180 according to the latest report released by the global media watchdog, Reporters without Borders (RWB).
RWB, headquartered in Paris and which has a consultative status with the UN releases an annual report the objective of which is to compare and quantify the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries. Naturally the Press Club of India has voiced deep concern over the country’s continuous downward spiral in the index. For developing democracies in the global South where deep pockets of inequities exist, the media’s role cannot be overemphasized. Constraints on press freedom due to hostile working conditions and threats to the physical and mental safety of personnel severely impacts the ability of journalists to gather, select, produce and disseminate news in the public interest independent of political, economic, legal and social interference. The present right wing authoritarian regime has ensured that whatever vestiges of the free press remain in India are gagged or made totally beholden to the ruing dispensation. We should all hang our heads in collective shame at this dubious distinction; the addition of yet another rotten feather in our over-feathered cap.
In the final analysis we as common citizens can only pray and expect from the government that necessary steps are taken to improve the press freedom ranking so that the sanctity of democracy is safeguarded.
Yours etc.,
Yash Pal Ralhan
Via email