FREEDOM OF PRESS

Darjeeling, January 26, 2008: The political party which has constantly been playing the self proclaimed role of liberator, harbinger of democracy has finally shed its mask and sent democracy for a six. “Self constraint and Gandhism,” virtues that could not be sustained for too long.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on January 25, issued a diktat that all should abstain from reading the Himalaya Darpan Sambad Patra- the largest circulated Nepali vernacular daily, allegedly for its “one-sided” news presentation from the 26^th January till the 2^nd February 2008. On the 26^th January there were silent threats to the paper vendors not to display the paper in the news stalls in Darjeeling. However in Kalimpong, defying this undemocratic diktat Himalaya Darpan sold like hot cakes.

Along with various Press Associations of this region, Darjeeling Press Guild too vehemently protests against such Fascist moves. It is time such political parties come to their senses and realize that Darjeeling is a part of India, the world’s largest democracy and Press is the Fourth Pillar of a democratic system of governance. Gone are the days of feudal lords and their high handed ways. Welcome to the civilized 21^st century.

Political parties should further realize that a newspaper is not a party mouthpiece and its job is not just to keep a particular party, association or individual happy. Our job is to report the truth objectively.

This is not the first of its kind incident in the Darjeeling Hills. During the Gorkhaland agitation too the GNLF had called for a ban of “Sunchari” a Nepali vernacular daily. Time and again media persons have received threats, been physically assaulted and their homes vandalized just because they fail to serve narrow political interests. Various political parties have outdone each other in creating obstacles in the independent functioning of the press. They have gone as far as dictating news presentation also.

The need of the hour in the Darjeeling Hills is democracy- a word which remains confined in the dictionary only in the Hills.

It is our fundamental right to read what we want, say what we want and believe in what we want. We are our own masters. This is the whole essence of democracy. This is what our country is all about and our ancestors made the supreme sacrifice for.

Let us not be made slaves once more.

Asato ma sadgamaya,
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya,
Mrityorma amritamgamaya

Oh Almighty! Lead us from the unreal (falsity)
to the real (truth) from darkness to light!
From death to immortality!