Assam CM Gogoi questions Journalist’s Ethics in Girl Molestation

Screenshot of Guwahati School Girl Molested by PublicAssam CM Tarun Gogoi has slammed the role of  Newslive Journalist in Guwahati Girl Molestation case  and called it unethical.He further asserted that the Police should have been informed as early as possible instead of Filming the Video

“This is not a case of ethical journalism. It is alright to film the incident as a part of his job. But he should have informed police about the incident,” Gogoi said.

“The media blames the government and particularly the police on all accounts, but journalists, too, have responsible role to play in society and in this particular case they have failed miserably. I am ready to meet the girl and we are going to help her by all means, including arranging proper rehabilitation for the girl” he added.

Read what the Editor in Chief of Newslive which filmed the whole episode has to say.
The role of a local TV news channel’s journalist was first alleged by anti-dam activist Akhil Gogoi. He also submitted video footage of the incident to the state police chief and media on Friday, showing the journalist instigating the crowd to assault the girl.

The chief minister said he had already set up an inquiry commission headed by Additional Chief Secretary Emily Choudhury. “I have also directed police to form a special task force to deal with the increasing crime against women in Assam,” he added.

“To analyse the crime situation in the state, I have asked the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) here to carry out research and steps will be taken accordingly to stop the rising crime graph against women,” Gogoi added.

He also admitted there were lapses on the part of police primarily because there is shortage of manpower in the state police force.

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Meanwhile, the First Day of Assam Assembly Monsoon session was rocked due to Girl Molestation case. Leader of Opposition Sirajuddin Ajmal, of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), demanded the adjournment motion on the ground of deteriorating law and order across Assam “where lives of women are not secure”.

“It is not the women who are insecure in the state but even we are not secure inside the legislative assembly,” said BJP legislator Prashanta Phukan while criticising the speaker for the AIUDF legislators’ eviction.

However, the government dismissed the criticism.

“We have nothing to hide. Action had already been taken against the policeman who failed to reach the spot. An inquiry had also been ordered. We can discuss it under separate rules and procedures of the assembly,” said Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The Ethics of  Newslive Journalist has been questioned by Fellow Journalists also.
T.R. Ramachandran, senior journalist who is also president of the Press Club of India, says while journalists at a scene have a social responsibility, “they can’t just say we are filing”.

“What would happen in a worst case scenario (rape) – then what would he have done? Would he still have gone ahead and filed and say I was doing my job? The molestation went on for about 20 minutes, and for a girl even one second is like hours. It was absolutely hell for her,” Ramachandran told IANS.

“I don’t subscribe to what the editor said. It is fine to give evidence, but one should also have to have social responsibility to intervene and stop the incident,” he added.

The uncut version of what News Live aired – leering men pulling the girl by her hair, trying to paw the kicking, screaming girl, with some dramatic background music to boot – is on YouTube for anyone to see. The reporter asks the girl her name, not once but twice, which she replies, then her address and her school.

Independent journalist, commentator and educator Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, who has written a book on media ethics, said however much TV channels or photographers try to justify it questions will be raised.

In a statement, News Live reporter Gaurav Jyoti Neog has denied the allegations “as malicious and wild”. He said he was performing his professional duty as a “responsible journalist” “so as to fulfill the social responsibility of identifying the molesters and get them punished”. He has resigned as reporter until the probe is over.

Nitumoni Saikia, Executive Editor, News Live, in a statement, justified the decision to telecast the clip “to enable the viewers to see the ugly face of these molesters and help the police to identify them and get them punished”. He said the attempt was successful as the visuals helped identify the culprits. While strongly denying the charges against the reporter of having orchestrated the incident, Saikia said “We are not trying to protect or shield anyone and cooperating and would cooperate to get the culprits.”