O my God! What the hobo diok Assamese do now? Hobo Diok. Barua ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ram Sarangapani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Assam" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, June 06, 2005 6:13 PM Subject: [Assam] Information blackout in Assam, IANS
> Is this true? If so, then thats that for any kind of investigative > journalism in Assam. > > __ > > Information blackout in Assam > Tuesday June 7 2005 00:00 IST > IANS > > GUWAHATI: The Assam government has virtually blacked out information > to the media, with strict orders asking police and civil officials not > to speak unauthorisedly to journalists. > > A formal notification has been issued to this effect, leading > opposition parties to accuse the Congress government of trying to hide > facts to shield rampant corruption in the state. > > A middle-ranking bureaucrat was suspended last week after he gave an > interview to a local TV channel highlighting the need for more funds > to improve roads and other infrastructure. > > "If all officials speak to the media, there is a fear that facts will > get distorted and so we have decided to impose restrictions in > accordance with existing service rules and guidelines," Chief Minister > Tarun Gogoi said. > > Today even senior police officials are scared to provide details of > any rebel-related incidents to journalists, fearing government action. > > "Please do no quote me or else I will lose my job," a district police > chief told IANS when asked for some information relating to an > encounter with militants. > > With assembly elections due early next year, the state government is > going all out to ensure that its image is not sullied by officials. > > "We shall appoint nodal officers in each district to talk to the media > on any matters. He or she will be the sole official spokesperson for > that district," the chief minister said. > > The worst affected is the media which is now depending on hearsay or > some bold officials who are speaking on conditions of anonymity. > Political parties have come down heavily on the ban on officials > interacting with the media. > > "This is nothing but an attempt to conceal facts and the right to > information. It has exposed the government's wrong policies and > blatant corruption in all spheres of life," Dilip Saikia, general > secretary of the opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), told IANS. > > "Today Assam is like a state under a military dictator who does not > trust anybody." > > _______________________________________________ > Assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > Mailing list FAQ: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > To unsubscribe or change options: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [email protected] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam Mailing list FAQ: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
