Garhwal Post Bureau
Uttarkashi, 30 Sep: Karan Mahara, President of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee, has described the mysterious death of Uttarkashi based reporter Rajiv Pratap as a grievous assault on the very soul of democracy. In a statement issued today, Mahara claimed that the mysterious death of Pratap has shaken the entire state. Mahara told the media that Rajiv Pratap was not merely an individual but a voice for the people, and that his recent fearless reporting on the state’s affairs and the alleged corruption at Uttarkashi District Hospital had invited repeated threats and pressure to remove video material. He also demanded a CBI inquiry into the death of Pratap.
Mahara raised a pointed question, why, if the administration had been apprised of those threats, adequate protection was not provided to the journalist. He further asked whether the life of an honest journalist have no value in the government’s estimation. Mahara claimed that the present circumstances had made it perilous to write the truth or amplify the people’s voice. He observed that the tragedy represented not only Rajiv Pratap’s loss but the plight of all journalists who dare to expose corruption and maladministration.
Expressing deep alarm at attempts by the administration to hastily classify the episode as an accident while discounting the family’s apprehensions, Mahara demanded to know why officials were so keen to close the matter. He asked if the Government is scared that the truth, if it emerges, will expose its failings. The PCC Chief insisted that the case could not be resolved by an ordinary inquiry and called for a high-level, impartial and transparent investigation under the supervision of the CBI or a special investigation team (SIT).
Mahara reminded that the Congress party has insisted the Government immediately ensure such a probe and take concrete measures to protect journalists who face intimidation. He recalled that Rajiv Pratap had been the voice of countless citizens whose grievances and hopes deserved to reach the corridors of power and warned that continued silence would pave the way for the suppression of every voice brave enough to speak the truth. He affirmed that the Congress stood by the bereaved family and would pursue the cause of justice to its conclusion.
