Assam: Parag Kumar Das and today’s media

I never had a personal connection with late Parag Kumar Das, who was assassinated in broad daylight in the heart of Guwahati city in 1997 by unidentified gunmen. I met him only on two occasions when I had gone to his office to submit articles to the papers and magazines edited by him. I hardly got any chance to have long conservation during these two meetings.

However, I had a long-standing bond with Parag Kr Das as a fan. During our college days, we were highly obsessed with newspapers and passionately followed news stories and articles that appeared in papers and Parag Kr Das was the centre of our attraction. His fearless and unwavering writings deeply inspired us.

When Parag Kumar Das was gunned down in Guwahati, we were at Tezpur University pursuing post-graduation.  The news of his assassination spread like wildfire. Like, many of his fans and followers, I too was shocked to hear the news.

For the next many years, like thousands of fans, we sincerely wished the murderers of the fearless journalist to be punished. We hoped that the killer of Das would be convicted and his family, as well as the people of Assam, will get justice and to some extent diminish the pain of the loss.

But it didn’t happen and no one could be proven to be the killer of Parag Kumar Das in the court. A sharp and fearless young Assamese journalist was killed in broad daylight, yet guilty could not be punished due to lack of evidence.

In December 1996, during my visit to Guwahati, I incidentally met one of my college friends on the Guwahati University campus, who advised me not to write articles criticising the establishments. “Be careful while writing about government.  Otherwise, you could meet a similar fate as Parag Das,” she said.

Although her suggestions made me ponder, I was not scared because unlike today not many authors and journalists were killed or arbitrarily sent to jail during that period.  There was a democratic atmosphere and the freedom of expression was not gagged, unlike today.

Although I could not be as fearless and strong as Parag Kumar Das, I still continue to write as much as I can.

Unfortunately, independent writers and journalists in India are living in the most difficult times today. Many independent journalists have been sent to jail or faced legal action just for writing critically against the ruling dispensation.

According to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 2022 was a terrible year for journalists. A total of 67 journalists and media workers were killed in India this year, the report said. This was the highest number since 2018 and about a 50 per cent increase from 2021. Of the 67, at least 41 were confirmed by CPJ to have been killed in “direct connection with their work”. More than half of these deaths occurred in three countries – Ukraine (15), Mexico (13) and Haiti (7). 

When Newslaundry, a media watchdog had asked journalists about the past year and their hopes for 2023 one journalist said, “A journalist's duty is to always question and expose the gaps. Now, there is an environment of fear for these journalists.”

It is a huge tragedy for us that most authoritarian regimes drive nations into a state of anarchy and disorder in every aspect of polity, forcing journalists and authors to live in constant fear for their lives and freedom.