SHILLONG, June 24: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday slammed the travel advisory issued by the US administration linking Meghalaya and other Northeastern states with terrorism and violence, and asserted that he would take up the matter with the US Ambassador to India through the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“I will be meeting the US Ambassador to communicate that this notification is absolutely incorrect. I hope the embassy will be satisfied with the explanation and revoke the advisory,” he said.
While admitting that isolated incidents can occur anywhere, the chief minister said those should not be used to stigmatise the entire state.
“Can you brand an entire state unsafe because of one or two sporadic incidents? The media must also draw the line and act responsibly to prevent unnecessary damage to Meghalaya’s image,” he said.
He urged journalists to act responsibly and avoid amplifying what he termed as “irrelevant and misleading narratives” about law and order in Meghalaya. “It’s very sad that even today, the media continues to entertain such questions. Enough is enough. Meghalaya is absolutely safe — that has been proven beyond doubt,” Sangma stated.
He called for a more constructive role from the press, urging them to be the voice of the people.
“You should become the voice of the people and speak on their behalf. The media should not encourage this tone just for TRPs. By repeatedly raising these questions, it gives the impression that even the media is against Meghalaya,” he said.
Sangma concluded by emphasising the shared responsibility between the government and the media to project an accurate picture of the state.
“It’s not just the government’s job. The media also has a role in ensuring that Meghalaya’s reputation is protected nationally and internationally,” he added.
