Overshadowing the fourth estate

Samarjit Kambam *

A newspaper clipping from a Imphal based Daily :: Pix - TSE

Five days without newspaper, that also most of the esteemed newspapers in Manipur. A few young blood juvenile newspaper houses, however, managed to make their papers available to the public albeit in small numbers. Mass media is also a pillar of a democratic nation apart from other pillars such as Legislature, Executive and Judiciary.

That's why mass media especially the 'Press' is called fourth branch of the government and newspaper plays a very vital role in making the press the fourth branch or fourth estate of the government. Course there's radio to listen to news and FM enabled cellphones, satellite radios alongwith social media platforms where individuals upload news and photos.

But to most of the people, their tight schedule disenables them to divert time and go in sync with the 7.30 radio news in the morning. But a newspaper can be read anywhere, anytime. So we can't rely absolutely on radios only. Newspaper itself is an entity, an institution in itself. It acts as a platform for various information as well as comments or reports on various fields by experts be it political, socio-economic development of the state or nation, environmental issues, changes taking place in the world etc. It is kinda mirror of the society, ear and eye of the public.

Newspapers may become extinct after some decades but still then it has miles to go as per the status quo prevailing in our state and country. For those tech-savvy youths, they can get information in a zippy from sources especially out of social media through various sites. But they are just a handful.

What about those who are not tech-savvy, particularly the older generations where e-paper is an alien entity and apps such as e-kindle, Playbooks or Kingshop Office doesn't make any difference with names of eatables? A newspaper doesn't need electricity unlike a smartphone, tablet PC, Fablet or any gadget that involves connecting to the net. Without newspaper, a huge chunk of the population are left blind and deaf in terms of information.

And yes, access to information is essential for the health of a democratic nation like ours. It ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. Information serves as a checking function or tool by ensuring that elected representatives and hot shot bureaucratic honchos uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of the masses as well as monitoring the political process in order to ensure that political players don't abuse the democratic process.

Well then, who is to blame? The big demanding question is that it requires a very logical answer to convince the masses. The newspaper houses say that hawkers do not come during the Yaoshang festival.

The hawkers say the newspaper houses don't print during Yaoshang. Who are we to believe? And as for reporters, if they can bravely take video footage in the middle of a crossfire between security forces and insurgent outfits or meet top leaders of various outfits, its kinda cakewalk to avoid or do away with the scenario of many groups of girls taking donation from passers as their identity cards will act as a shield against such 'donating' situations.

So the answer to us the public like a dog barking as well as wagging its tail at the same time, not convincing at all. Not to mention essential services like newspaper houses, offices of Central Government have only one day holiday and state government departments' Yaoshang holidays have been pruned from the previous five to two or three.

In a state like ours and especially among the valley based communities, festivals are mixtures of fun and frolic, gala all the way. Except Ningol Chakouba, Mera Wayungba, Mera Houchongba, Lai Haraoba and Tarpon Houba and Loiba and Cheiraoba, the Meeteis celebrate many festivals which are not ours. We mingle our indegineous Yaoshang festival with Holi which actually is not ours.

We borrow other's festivals such as Durga Puja, Diwali, Rath Jatra, Krishna Janmasthami etc, whereas our brethren brothers such as Kabui, Naga, Kuki and various other communities celebrate their festivals which are truly theirs. The Gaan-ngai of the Kabuis is a very beautiful and indeginous festival not borrowed from others thereby retaining the festival's uniqueness.

But we the Meeteis are tantamount to a Webster dictionary always ready to insert new words or jargons for we are always in the lookout to celebrate whatever festival that comes in our way. Over and above that we over celebrate just for the sake of fun. The Muslims(Meetei Pangal) of our state carry out Ramzan and celebrate Idul-zuha and Idul-Fitre without breaking their code of uniqueness and pray to their God(Allah) with intense devotion and sincerity. And for us Meeteis most of us don't know what this or that festival stands for. We have the wrong mindset that festivals, that also borrowed ones are just for enjoyment and fun.

In the name of Yaoshang, Moonlit dance(Thabal Chongba) goes on and on even after the Yaoshang festival ends that also during Board examinations thereby disturbing the minds of young students in their studies which is usually continued sporadically till the two Cheiraobas arrive. We unnecessary waste our time and monetary resources by over-celebrating the borrowed umpteen festivals.

So, the mammoth question is "If Yaosang were celebrated for 15 days i.e. half a month, will the newspaper houses close down their machinery for 15 days?". Again Vishwakarma will come where newspaper won't be available the next day.

On an average we encounter about ten to twelve days of non-printing days. Is it reasonable that printing newspaper which is considered an essential service like medical, electric supply, water supply have to be shut down for so many days? Are the festivals dictating terms to the newspaper houses or overshadowing them as to when to shut and when to open the newspaper printing houses?

Well, gone is gone and there is nothing we can do to bring back time or travel to the past to rectify or troubleshoot the spoilsports and party poopers. By next year we expect that the renowned newspaper houses of Manipur close down for only one day during Yaoshang festival and do away with other insipid festivals which are borrowed and not indegineous.