Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Would we see Pradeep Thakur Issue finding logical end anytime soon?

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The so called "Pradeep Thakur imbroglio" has given, so far three "Bandhs" to the residents' of Twin Capital City of Naharlagun and Itanagar; and going by the developments in this issue, the solution seems nowhere near the horizon. Atleast not until, NES and ANSU are ready to accept solution other than their laid down demands which are:

  1. Immediate arrest of Pradeep Thakur

  2. Unconditional apology from Pradeep Thakur

  3. Revealation of Source of deregatory remark

  4. Detailed call records of his two phone numbers.


Source-The Arunachal Times dated Sep 2, 2011


So far, the Times of India Group has pulled down the content that offended the Nyishi Community of the State and had given an apology on the issue on 26th of May, 2011. Further, the journalist in question, one Pradeep Thakur is supposedly on anticipatory bail over the issue and has tendered his unconditional apology; the video footage of which is available online on social networking sites like Facebook etc. For wider circulation, the tendered video apology is embedded herewith, if it helps mitigate the issue.


However, all this effort by Times of India group and the State Government who went ahead and brought the video footage of apology of Pradeep Thakur did not help to resolve the issue once and for all. Apparently, may be because so far the source of remark has not been divulged or the details of call records has not been given.


But the question is, would all these "Bandh Calls' be enough to make the ToI Group or one Pradeep Thakur to divulge the source of remark? What if ToI group declines to reveal the source of remark? What if they invoke "Reporter's Privilege"? In that case, are there any alternatives to bring the issue to the logical end other than accept the fact that ToI has pulled down the content and has apologized and Pradeep Thakur has issued a video apology? I guess not. Or are there any?


By dragging the issue, the remark over which the NES and the ANSU started the fight for their community, would be re-quoted again and again while reporting about the issue, thereby defeating the sole purpose of fighting for the issue. Further, the people, who initially empathized with the Nyishi Community over the derogatory remark by one Pradeep Thakur may start believing that the whole issue is not about remark on Nyishi Community but entirely political, as is being discussed in some pockets.


While the issue may not come to logical end soon, (not until NES and ANSU accept the solution other than their demands) it would surely make the reporter, who was a non-entity prior to May 4th, 2011, (In)famous; let that "derogatory remark" alive forever and subject the resident's of Twin Capital City of Naharlagun and Itanagar to further hardships as they are being subjected to for 48 hrs since 0500 hrs of 5th of September, 2011.