Shillong Press Club files complaint against MPSO

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 13, 2022

The Shillong Press Club (SPC) has filed a complaint against the Meghalaya People’s Social Organization (MPSO) for defaming and maligning the SPC and its president David Laitphlang.

The SPC has also announced its decision to blacklist the MPSO for all purposes. 

“After ascertaining the events that led to the circulation of a questionable news clip on an Assam based online news outlet, NewsNest, which grossly defamed and maligned the Club and its President, SPC has filed a formal complaint with the Deputy Commissioner, Ri-Bhoi District, requesting that the allegation against the Shillong Press Club and its president are thoroughly investigated and that the guilty severely punished as per provision of the law,” SPC general secretary Powell Sohkhlet said in a statement.

He said the SPC believes in the process of natural justice and will continue to maintain the highest benchmarks of ethical and professional journalism, while constantly campaigning for utmost freedom of expression for all as assured by the Constitution.

“Taking serious note of the baseless lies by the unregistered civil society group Meghalaya People’s Social Organization (MPSO) against the SPC and its president, it is hereby announced that henceforth MPSO is blacklisted by SPC for all purposes,” he informed. 

In its complaint to the Deputy Commissioner of Ri Bhoi Arpit Upadhaya, the SPC said that yesterday, February 10th, a WhatsApp video clip of a news item broadcasted by an Assam based online portal News Nest began circulating, wherein the said unregistered self-styled civil society group that goes by the fancy name of Meghalaya Peoples Social Organisation (MPSO) claimed that Mr. Laitphlang had directed a local YouTube news outlet, Ri-Bhoi News, to stop broadcasting a particular news story.

The organization claimed that it was acting on a complaint by an educational institution that a factory was polluting the neighborhood in Byrnihat area and hence had gone to inspect it. It claimed that despite the inspection being broadcasted via Ri-Bhoi News, it was lifted of the internet shortly after. 

The President of the MPSO, Vincent Sohkhwai claimed in the interview that the story was lifted under instructions of the Shillong Press Club through it’s President Mr Laitphlang.

“Upon being contacted by the owner of the factory who sought an opportunity to dispel and clarify any allegations of violation of pollution norms, Mr Laitphlang contacted the producer of Ri-Bhoi News, Mr Cores Marwein and suggested that both sides of the story be gathered before telecast for all fairness and ethical journalism. 

Mr Marwein immediately concurred to an error of judgement on the team’s part and lifted it off the internet while assuring that an effort will be made to get the other side of the story first,” the complaint said.

“When the Ri-Bhoi News lifted the story off the internet, the MPSO then went ahead and invited a nondescript online news portal from Assam News Nest and charged the Shillong Press Club’s President with directing the closure without any reason whatsoever, thereby clearly defaming and maligning him and the Club as well,” it added.

The complaint also asked how can an unregistered self-styled civil society group enter uninvited into a private property simply based on an inconclusive allegation. Is it not criminal trespass and breach of privacy?

Did the group intimate relevant local authorities about the so-called inspection or have any members who were experts in the field?

It said that the group did not care to invite conventional media such as leading newspapers and cable news channels to accompany the so-called inspection but chose to take along an upcoming YouTube online news outlet that is being supported by the government which is trying to help promote local information disseminators.

“From the above narration you will concur that the entire episode is a clear act of criminal trespass with an ulterior motive and defamation by the MPSO through its President Vincent Sohkhwai for reasons best known to him.

I’m sure you understand the entire matter and therefore, I urge you to kindly treat this complaint with utmost seriousness and urgency, so that such law violators who threaten to disrupt a peaceful ambience, are nipped in the bud and the unblemished dignity of the press fraternity in Meghalaya is upheld,” Sohkhlet said.