[Bengia Ajum]
The ongoing state assembly session suddenly brought back memories of a legendary journalist, late Taro Chatung. In February 2019, as the state assembly session on the issue of granting PRCs to non-APSTs of certain districts of eastern Arunachal gained momentum, rumours started flying thick and fast that the state government was going to pass a bill to grant PRCs to non-APSTs of Namsai and Changlang districts.
Even though no official record showed that the government intended to pass any such bill to grant PRCs, citizens started to get apprehensive. It was then that Taro Chatung, who was covering the assembly session, started to interview MLAs and sought their views regarding granting of PRCs to non-APSTs. The majority of the MLAs on camera supported the move and many were caught arrogantly defending such a move. As the videos went viral, the youths took to the streets and launched protests. Soon the protests turned violent and the capital region suffered for the next four days. Such is the scar of that anti-PRC riot that, till today people get scared whenever there is a capital bandh. At that time, many, especially ruling party leaders, blamed the late Taro Chatung for the violence, which is not true. First of all, he did not ask the MLAs to come on camera to arrogantly support granting of PRCs to non-APSTs.
Secondly, Chatung was very upset with the violence. He called me when violence was raging in the Itanagar Capital Region and said, “Ajum, what is happening is not good. I am very saddened. I will not make a report on the violent incidents and will not give coverage to violence.” Though more than two years have passed since Taro Chatung died after battling cancer, his memories still echo in the heart of every Arunachali. I joined The Arunachal Times in 2009, and since then, we developed a good rapport. He was a man ahead of his time – a down-to-earth and hardworking journalist. Most of all, he was a very encouraging figure and always used to back the young journalists. I vividly remember, when The Arunachal Times office was vandalised by goons in 2012, he called me up and said, “The attack on your office proves that your team is doing good work. Take this as a badge of honour.”
Also, he often used to say: “Politicians become ex-CM, minister, MLAs, and bureaucrats become former but a journalist till his last breath remains a journalist. Therefore, Chatung will remain a journalist forever.” Indeed, he was right. He died as a journalist and is still fondly remembered as a journalist by everyone. He had his opportunity to grab power as many of the politicians were his friends, but he chose journalism over everything else. In fact, people like him are born once in a lifetime. As Arunachal celebrates 50 years of its naming, it would be fitting if the state government names any government institution in memory of late Taro Chatung. He was a true tribal role model who inspired many, including yours truly, to pick up journalism as a profession. As the state is witnessing a new boom in the media sector, I would like to ask Chatung sir, wherever he is, “Aapko kaisa lag raha hai, sir.” Perhaps he will be happy to see the media boom in the state.
