HONEYMOON MURDER CASE
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 21: Former Rajya Sabha member Rakesh Sinha on Saturday condemned sections of the national media and individuals for maligning Meghalaya in the wake of the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi in Sohra.
He rebuked them for rushing to judgment. “I believe that defaming Meghalaya in the Raja Raghuvanshi case is the greatest harm, as you are discrediting the people who love peace and harmony. It is unbelievable,” said Sinha, who adopted Kongthong village in 2023 and proposed a UNESCO tag for it.
A frequent visitor to Meghalaya, Sinha asserted that Meghalaya stood out for its “inclusive social, political and cultural life,” and that “those people and media outlets who have defamed Meghalaya must apologise and give good coverage of positive work in the state.”
Drawing from his on-ground experience, the BJP ideologue painted a different picture from what some media houses have projected.
“Meghalaya is the most peaceful state, and the people are inclusive and live in harmony. I have been coming to Meghalaya for the past six months, visiting the remotest areas for social work, and creating political consciousness amongst the people. I receive enormous support,” he said.
He pointed to the aspirations of Meghalaya’s youth, saying, “The youth are looking for jobs and leadership, and I think that leadership should be provided for a new direction.”
Sinha’s criticism comes close on the heels of Voice of the People Party (VPP) MP, Ricky A.J. Syngkon, raising the issue in Parliament. Syngkon urged the Centre to take strong action against certain national television and digital outlets for their “highly erroneous” coverage of the murder, saying their reporting not only distorted facts but also brought unwarranted disgrace upon the indigenous people of Meghalaya, affecting their already fragile livelihoods.
The growing outrage underscores a deepening demand from within the state for accountability from national media houses that, according to critics, have painted Meghalaya with a broad and unfair brush following the Sohra murder.