Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today strongly reacted to the recent travel advisory issued by the United States, terming it “absolutely incorrect” and expressing disappointment over the media’s line of questioning regarding safety in Meghalaya.
Sangma called upon the press to refrain from amplifying what he described as “irrelevant and misleading narratives” about the state’s safety. “It’s very sad that even today the media continues to entertain such questions. Enough is enough. Meghalaya is absolutely safe. That has been proven beyond doubt,” Sangma asserted.
The state’s image took a battering during the early days of the Raja Raghuvanshi disappearance/murder, with the victim’s relatives, national news channels, social media users and influencers levelled scurrilous accusations against Meghalaya’s safety record and the local people in general. It was only after the victim’s widow emerged as the prime accused did the family members and several news outlets retract their accusations against the state.
Sangma today urged journalists to not only reject such questions but also act as advocates for the state’s image.
“You should become the voice of the people and speak on their behalf. The media should not encourage this tone just for TRPs (television rating points). By repeatedly raising these questions, it gives the impression that even the media is against Meghalaya,” he said.
Addressing the US travel advisory, which cautioned Americans from visiting the North East in general, the Chief Minister said it was a “matter of concern” and assured that steps are being taken to rectify the misinformation.
“I will be meeting the US Ambassador through the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs to communicate that this notification is absolutely incorrect. I hope the embassy will be satisfied with the explanation and revoke the advisory,” he added.
While acknowledging that incidents can happen anywhere, Sangma questioned the rationale behind painting an entire state in a negative light based on isolated incidents.
“Can you brand an entire state because of one or two sporadic incidents? The media must also draw the line and act responsibly to prevent unnecessary damage to Meghalaya’s image.”
Sangma concluded by reiterating that both the government and the media share a responsibility in projecting the true picture of the state and protecting its reputation on the national and international stage.
