SHILLONG, May 30: The Meghalaya government has taken a strong exception to a section of the national media linking the case of the missing couple from Indore to crime in the state.
The Times of India recently captioned its video on the missing couple, describing the region as crime-prone.
Tourism Minister and MDA spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh came down heavily on the portrayal, calling it yet another reflection of a long-standing prejudice.
“Unfortunately, the national media has dubbed Meghalaya a crime-prone state, but I am not surprised as a big section of the national media has always had this bias against the Northeast,” he said on Friday.
Lyngdoh asserted that the government will raise the matter at an appropriate level. Recalling his experience at a five-day parasailing contest held at Umiam, he said the participants and dignitaries from across the country had nothing but praise for the state.
“All those who attended the event from various parts of the country said they have not seen a state as responsible and as clean and peaceful as Meghalaya,” he noted.
“So, this is very unfortunate, but not surprising,” Lyngdoh said, underscoring the need to challenge such narratives and reaffirm the state’s record as a responsible and safe destination.
Cabinet Minister Comingone Ymbon slammed the use of the term crime-prone hills for Sohra, saying,
“Sohra is the best place for people and people of the country like to visit the place.”
He added that he had never heard about any crime being committed in Sohra and even people there are friendly towards tourists.
The Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF) condemned The Times of India for its recent video caption, describing the state as “crime-prone hills”.
MTDF Chairman Larsing M. Sawyan called it highly misleading and damaging.
He said Meghalaya is known for its hospitality, and there have been no significant incidents involving tourists that justify such a label.
“Such characterisation places Meghalaya in a negative light. We urge the publication and its associated media network to issue a clarification,” he told reporters on Friday.
He observed that such portrayals can seriously harm tourism and undermine the efforts to build confidence among potential visitors.
The MTDF chairman pointed to several major international events hosted by the state in the last few months, headlining the Meghalaya growth story. “We have had the Cherry Blossom Festival, where international artists like Akon performed. We’ve had a concert in December where the iconic Bryan Adams performed. There was Ed Sheeran too,” Sawyan said. He also cited cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar’s visit to the state, during which he interacted with children and villagers.
The Khasi Students’ Union said the national media and even the Assam-based media have been presenting Meghalaya in a poor light. The protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the demand for the relocation of the illegal settlers of Them Iew Mawlong are cases in point.
“We are not surprised to see Sohra being called ‘crime-prone hills’, which all of us know is not true. Sadly, the national media is trying to tarnish the image of our state by trying to blame the local community for the disappearance of the couple from Indore,” KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said.
