Reporter shot days after threat by Nagaland Deputy CM Y. Patton
New Delhi: A week after Nagaland deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Y. Patton publicly threatened a reporter at a village meeting, the journalist was shot in Manipur’s Senapati district.
The victim, Deep Saikia of Hornbill TV, was covering a flower show on August 30 in Laii village when he was shot in the leg and armpit. According to local police, the assailant was apprehended by villagers. Timothy Ronamai, Officer-in-Charge of Tungjoy Police Station, confirmed that an FIR had been registered and said Saikia was in stable condition, though a bullet remains lodged under his arm.
The attack follows a confrontation on August 23, when Patton, also Nagaland’s home and border affairs minister, singled out Saikia during a public meeting in Wokha district. The BJP leader rebuked and threatened the reporter over a Hornbill TV news report in which villagers alleged Patton and local MLA Achumembo Kikon had not visited the border area during Assam’s eviction drive at the disputed Rengma Forest Reserve. Patton was heard in a video clip saying he had asked “some people” to chase Saikia away from Naga areas and warned him against asking questions.
Hornbill TV has condemned the attack as a “direct assault on press freedom and democratic values,” urging the government to act swiftly. Several press organisations, including the Kohima Press Club, Mokokchung Press Club, and the Press Club of India, have criticised Patton’s earlier threats and demanded accountability.
The Press Club of India stated that journalists’ duty is to give voice to citizens, not to serve as public relations officers for ministers, warning that Patton’s conduct violates constitutional guarantees of press freedom under Article 19.
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Karnataka School Edu Dept prohibits children from being made to dance to obscene songs
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka School Education Department has issued a circular strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs in educational and cultural programmes.
It stated that such dances would negatively impact students' mental health and moral values. It will create indiscipline and harm the sanctity of education.
"All the Deputy Directors (Administration) of the state's School Education Department have been asked to take strict measures to prevent children or students from dancing to obscene songs in all government, aided and unaided schools in the state," the office of the commissioner of the School Education Department said in a recent circular.
"If it is found that children are being made to dance to obscene songs, appropriate action will be taken against the headmaster or management of such school," it added.
The department also listed certain measures in this regard, which include: strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes; selecting songs that are inspiring, positive, instilling national pride in children and reflecting the greatness, dignity, values, culture, and morality of the state.
Stating that the school headmaster and management are responsible for selecting songs and dances for cultural programmes, it said, they should also ensure that students wear decent clothes in dance or cultural programmes.
