Till the other day he was welcomed wherever and whenever he went. He even dominated prime time bulletins in the Prime News apart from hitting headlines in the vernacular dailies including Niyomiya Barta and Dainik Janasadharan.
But the things keep changing. Now he is unwanted and that’ why, neglected. Yes, we are talking of Diganta Chetia. The local journalist from Ledo is leading an uncomfortable life. His worries bubbled up since a gang of coal thieves attacked his near cinema hall a couple of years back. But why? Why he was mercilessly beaten up? It was on July 6, 2011. He prepared a story on coal smuggling from Ledo for a private satellite news channel. He was attacked with rod and bamboo and before being dumped near the railway track.
His family members spent lakhs of rupees in the name of his treatment. Even a plot of agricultural land was sold for it. His father told Assam Times that except Debrata Bordoloi(Dhan) nobody paid even a single paise for his son’s treatment. Bordoloi who is the elder brother of power minister Pradyut Bordoloi paid Rs 20,000 for treatment. The district administration has not paid anything for Diganta not to speak of the people in the distant Dispur. The answer is obvious.
What wrong goes with Diganta? He did only his duty. Defying all diktats, he tried to exposed the illegal coal trade in the area much to a major embarrassment for many people. Is it wrong? But still the Chetias want uncompromising journalism. Is it the way a serious journalist is allowed to live? Over to Dispur.
12 Aug 2017 - 9:28am | Dr Shatadru Chattopadhayay
India’s high economic growth rate has not led to reduction in hunger and malnutrition. But the subject of food security is complex and multi-dimensional. Hence, I would restrict my analysis to the...
19 Feb 2010 - 4:08pm | editor
Altogehter 3,78,610 candidates are appearing in the High School Leaving Certificate Examinations and Assam High Maddressa examinations, 2010 across the state which begins on Friday. According to the...
9 Feb 2018 - 2:03pm | AT News
GUWAHATI: The Assam Government on Friday confirmed cancellation of 4 lakh job card which the panchayat rural development department identified as fake. The department officials apprised it to chief...
17 Jun 2014 - 11:50am | AT News
The Medical Council of India has not cancelled the recognitions to the Jorhat Medical College and Barpeta Medical College. This was what health minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday....
On Tuesday, the Assam Tea Tribes Student Association (ATTSA) and Assam Tea tribes Women Association (ATTWA) Margherita Branch Committee jointly staged a dharna for two hours in front of the General Manager's office about various burning issues with Margherita Tea Estate Workers.
Mukundor Gowala, President in Charge, and Nuwel Patra, General Secretary of ATTSA Margherita Branch Committee, led a Dharna protest for two hours. More than 2000 Tea Garden workers from Margherita Tea Estate were present and gave slogans such as ATTSA long live, Tea workers long live, BJP government Murdabad, Narendra Modi Murdabad and Himanta Biswa Sarma Murdabad.
Pranjal Baraik, Central Executive...
The Child and Adolescent labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act,1986 which was enacted by the Parliament of India and the Ministry of Labour and Employment states no child under the age of 14 can work at any business establishment or workshop. Despite this, the illegal coal trade is rampantly going on in Margherita Sub division and coal thieves hire school dropouts between 11 and 13 years old to work at Tirap, Tikak, Ledo 6 Number line, Paharpur, Baragolai coal mines area where they are paid a small amount of money.
It may be mentioned that North Eastern Coal fields Coal India limited Margherita has kept Private Security and Assam Industrial Security Force but in the name of Security...
After 75 years of our country's independence, where the BJP government at the union and state level are celebrating "Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav," petty vendors in Margherita Town are putting their lives at risk by sitting near railway tracks to sell their products. Daily trains such as the Intercity, Demo, and other express move from Ledo to Tinsukia between Margherita town.
Arun Rastogi, president of Bajrang Dal, Margherita Unit, said that after 75 years of our country's independence no government has been able to build a permanent market shed at Margherita town, which is very unfortunate where regularly 1,000 petty traders and hawkers by taking risk sell their products near railway...
The holy festival of Islamic people, Eid-ul-Fitr, is being celebrated on tuesday around the world, as well as in Margherita, marking the completion of a holy month of Ramadan, a month where Islamic religious people fast from dawn to dusk.
There has been a positive spirit among Muslim religious people after two years of pandemic.
Hundreds of people gathered in Nuri Jame Masjid, Margherita on tuesday morning for Namaz as due to heavy rainfall Namaz couldn't be held at Central Margherita Eidgah Maidan.
After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Islam people gathered at Nuri Jame Masjid, Margherita to pray together.
People greet one...
Renowned Tai Khamyang scholar, 84-year-old Deben Chowlik, passed away last Wednesday due to age-old ailments at his residence situated in Bhittor Powai, Powaimukh, Margherita, Tinsukia . He was an expert in the Tai Khamyang language from the great Tai Khamyang community and had been struggling to keep this language alive as one of the knowledgeable members of the Tai Khamyang community in Powaimukh Tai Khamyang village under 124 Number Margherita Constituency of Tinsukia District.
He was one of the very few people who could speak the Tai Khamyang language, so his death is a irreparable loss not only to the Tai Khamyang community, but to all of us. He has a vast storehouse of traditional...
A joint extensive search, patrol and raid was conducted by Margherita and Digboi Excise Circle.
The raid happened in areas such as Lakla (Jagun), 6th Mile under Lekhapani Police Station and Margherita Bazaar, under Margherita Police station of Tinsukia district.
51.84 Litres of IMFL, 62.4 BL of Beer (for sale in Arunachal Pradesh), 7.8 BL of Beer (for sale in Assam), and 10 Litres of Illicit Distilled Liquor were seized and destroyed.
On Thursday at Ledo Tea Estate under Tinsukia district an awareness program on NALSA scheme has been organized by District legal Service Authority, Tinsukia. Papu Sah President of Children friends club moderated the whole program and prominent persons including Nayan Jyoti Dutta Secretary of District legal service Authority, Tinsukia, Debojit Bose Advocate from Tinsukia, Jyotish Phukan incharge of Ledo police outpost, Jiten Deka factory manager of Ledo Tea Estate, Ram Prasad Ambedkar veteran journalists and Advisor of Margherita Journalists Association, Mitali Roy principal of Roots 2 Fruits pre school Ledo, CP Gautam Noted Social worker of Ledo, Mithun Baruah treasurer of Margherita...
On Tuesday, the Samanmay Social Welfare Youth Organisation, Margherita Committee organised a One Day Rongali Bihu celebration and felicitation programme at Margherita India Club.
Lakhikanta Borah President of Samanmaya Social welfare youth organisation Margherita central committee unfurled the organisation flag, followed by members planting saplings.
Dr Ranjit Dutta noted social worker, celebrated writer and poet of Ledo, Margherita, presided over the Rongali Bihu celebration where Bihu dance and songs from various parts of Margherita were performed and enthralled the whole audience.
An open session was held, presided by Dr. Ranjit Dutta, where distinguished persons of Margherita...
On Thursday, Poi Sangken holy new year festival of Buddhist devotees celebrated at Margherita Buddha vihar.
Bhikkhu Gyanowada Mahathera, chief monk at Margherita Buddha Vihar, inaugurated the festival where Buddhist devotees pour water at a statue of Lord Buddha.
Bhikkhu Gyanowada Mahathera said Poi Sangken is a new year festival of Buddhist devotees that begins April 14 to April 16 all over the world. Statues of Lord Buddha are kept outside for 52 hours at Buddha Vihar compound so Buddhist devotees can come and pour water on the statues of Lord Buddha.
The Margherita Regional Student Union staged a protest at NH315 Block Tiniali Margherita on Wednesday, against the sky-rocketing price of essential commodities.
Chintu Gogoi and Rupam Baruah said the BJP's prime issue was price rises before the elections.
They added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured everyone that happier days would come before the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
However, the happiest days have come for only Capitalist and Corporate houses such as Adani, Ambani, and Tata where middle-class people are suffering due to sky rocketing prices of everyday essential commodities.
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