A recent controversy surrounding a social media post by a television journalist affiliated with the Gauhati Press Club (formerly Guwahati Press Club) in Northeast India has raised serious questions about the media body’s conduct.
The post raised numerous questions regarding the media body, which had invited a minister from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s cabinet for a cultural program, and subsequently, allegedly “faced derogatory comments.”
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The journalist, associated with a news channel owned by the Chief Minister’s family, claimed that State Health & Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal disrespected a Gauhati Press Club (GPC) delegation, and this claim was taken seriously. According to the journalist, the GPC delegation had visited Singhal to invite him to a forthcoming Bhaona performance in the city. During the brief interaction, the minister allegedly questioned the necessity of a press club organizing a Bhaona. Furthermore, he reportedly termed the native traditional performing art form as not being secular in nature.
The issue rapidly gained traction, with individuals, organizations, media outlets, and opposition political leaders demanding an apology from the minister. Some even characterized Singhal as a “non-Assamese” who lacked understanding of the religious performing art form (Ankiya Bhaona), developed by the sixteenth-century Vaishnavite saint, scholar, and philosopher Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev and his prime disciple Madhavdev to enact plays primarily with mythological characters. However, Chief Minister Sarma stated he did not believe Singhal would make such an immature comment. Singhal then issued a formal clarification, denying the allegation that he made any derogatory remarks about Bhaona.
In a later social media post, Singhal asserted that the story was completely “false and fabricated,” acknowledging that a group of journalists had visited him to invite him to the cultural program, but that a fictitious narrative had been created by a particular journalist. Singhal tendered an apology, stating that he did not want any unnecessary debate over the matter, while maintaining that he never made any derogatory remarks about Bhaona.
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The issue should have been resolved after the minister’s apology, and the GPC appeared satisfied with the development (albeit somewhat reluctantly). However, the city press club then released a perplexing statement, claiming that the meeting with the minister was not prescheduled. A statement in Assamese, endorsed by GPC president Susmita Goswami and general secretary Sanjay Rai, claimed that they only learned about the meeting with Singhal through social media.
Social media users questioned why the minister was invited, considering he is not in charge of the Information and Public Relations (IPR) or Cultural Ministry. They also questioned why the GPC delegation approached the minister at his residence in the evening, rather than at the Secretariat. More importantly, they asked why a minister would make derogatory comments simply for receiving an invitation to an event.
Some speculated whether there was instigation, possibly related to a request for a substantial donation from the minister that did not materialize. Why would the GPC committee not apologize to the media fraternity for the confusion, especially since the Bhaona titled “Gandharir Abhishap” was already supported by the Northeast Zone Cultural Centre under the Union Ministry of Culture, New Delhi?
The media club, currently operating illegally from the Ambari archaeological site, claims to have nearly one thousand members. However, many city-based journalists have publicly stated they are not associated with the GPC. The club, which celebrated its golden jubilee in 2022, has yet to organize its closing ceremony.
Many concerned citizens are now demanding the relocation of the press club so that the valuable archaeological site can be preserved for research. The archaeology department asserts that the ruins of Ambari reflect the Sunga-Kushana dynasty period. Therefore, the Ambari site, which attracts daily visitors from across India, needs to be cleared of encroachments, with no leniency shown to illegal occupants, including the press club.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Northeast Now.