Assam journos protest minister's 'derogatory words'; CM apologises for any insult

Guwahati: Journalists across Assam on Saturday protested the use of derogatory words against a local television channel reporter by a state cabinet minister, even as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tendered an apology for any defamatory statement by his colleague.

State Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah had on Friday refused to answer a question posed by the reporter of a local news satellite channel, with which the BJP leader has been locked in a feud over allocation of government dairy promotion scheme funds and buying of Gir cows from a state-funded project in the name of a firm owned by his wife.

Baruah, at that press conference, had said that he would not answer to "low-class" people like the reporter and would respond to the owner of the channel, 'Pratidin Time'.

Guwahati-based journalists participated in a protest organised by the Gauhati Press Club (GPC), condemning such recurring incidents of verbal insult of scribes by politicians of different parties.

Referring to the latest instance, the protesting journalists demanded an apology from the minister and assurance from all quarters of no further recurrence of such abuse of media persons.

Protests by journalists were organised in different parts of the state, including Sivasagar, Samaguri and Dibrugarh as journalists wore black badges and raised slogans against the minister.

Asked for his reaction to Baruah's statement, Sarma said, "If he has said anything derogatory to any journalist, he should apologise. I will myself tell him to do so as journalists are not part of our political feuds." "I also apologise for it, though I haven't heard what he had said," the chief minister added.

Sarma maintained that if Baruah had said anything bad, it must have been "a slip of the tongue" as he himself comes from humble beginnings.

"You (journalists) know him well. He is himself from common or humble roots. We all are," Sarma said.

Referring to spats between the ruling party and some media houses of the state, Sarma said, "Owners of media houses and journalists are different. Journalists are revered... if we say something about the owners, journalists should not interfere in it." "Media can criticise us, but don't take blame for your owners," he added, directing the comment to the journalists.

The chief minister said that media house owners have diverse business interests and they may face action for lapses or breaking the law in these also, but it should be not projected as the person is being "targeted" due to his media investment.

Claiming that media house owners have high incomes from various sources like government contracts, Sarma said the journalists employed by them should also be paid well.

"Journalists here are paid the least. They don't have their own house. When anyone falls ill, they come to me seeking help. I am always happy to help, but the owners should also give them at least Rs 10 lakh," he said.

He claimed that the situation of district and rural area correspondents is even worse as they are still paid on per news basis.

"The rural journalists tell me that they will be paid about Rs 100 for every news that they file and is used. That's why I always give byte to them so that their news is used and their payment can be assured," Sarma said.

The chief minister also advocated for the fixation of minimum pay for journalists and eight-hour shifts for journalists.