Press Club of Sikkim condemns CAP for defaming journalist Nirmal Mangar

GANGTOK, : The Press Club of Sikkim (PCS) has strongly condemned Citizen Action Party (CAP) Sikkim for allegedly harassing and defaming journalist Nirmal Mangar through memes and cartoons on social media.

PCS stated that CAP members including senior leaders used the party’s official Facebook page and constituency-level social media handles to target the Sikkim Chronicle editor following his interview of Samson Tamang, a Darjeeling resident accused of spreading communal hatred in Sikkim, at Rangpo police station today wherein he named CAP president among others of instigating him to make the controversial racial remarks against Khas community.

PCS said that while Mangar questioned Tamang as part of his journalistic duty, he had no control over the statements made by Tamang in the interview.

“Mangar, as a journalist, is liable to ask questions but what the accused has spoken or the individual names that he has taken in the interview are not in control of Mangar or any journalist for that matter.  Those opinions were clearly made by the accused Samson Tamang himself.”

The PCS also defended Mangar’s presence at the police station, stating that journalists rely on sources to gather information and that questioning his access was unjustified.

The PCS asserted that targeting a journalist for performing his duty is an attack on press freedom.  “The actions of certain CAP party workers targeted against journalist Nirmal Mangar is a condemnable act. They are defaming a journalist for doing his job and in doing so tarnishing journalism in the State.”

The club also warned that they will not tolerate any further defamation of Mangar by the CAP. “An attack on one journalist is an attack on the entire media fraternity of the State. We appeal CAP members to come to their senses and in time issue an apology to Nirmal Mangar for their condemnable act of defamation,” the PCS added.