Veteran Journalist Patricia Mukhim Quits Editors Guild, Alleges It Only Defends "Celebrity" Anchors

Patricia Mukhim, a senior journalist and Padma Shri-awardee, has reportedly quit the Editors Guild of India, citing the journalistic association's "complete silence" in the criminal case against her. Mukhim is currently facing charges of a criminal case against her over a social media post where she outlined incidents of violence in the state of Meghalaya. Mukhim, editor of The Shillong Times publication, had in July 2020 brought to notice an alleged violent assault against non-tribals in the state, following which a case had been registered against her for inciting communal passions.

Recently, we reported that the Meghalaya High Court has refused to quash the case against Mukhim, deeming her Facebook post in question to be "divisive." Several contemporaries and activists had dissented the HC's decision on social media, demanding justice for Mukhim. Read our full report here. Mukhim has now resigned from the Guild, mentioning in her resignation letter the "alacrity" with which the association had condemned Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami's arrest in early November, alleging that it defends only "celebrity editors/ anchors."

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Here are ten things to know about Mukhim, her journalism, and the case against her: 

1. Patricia Mukhim is a social activist veteran journalist with a career that spans more than three decades. She began as a journalist in 1987 and in 2008 took over as the editor of The Shillong Times, Meghalaya's first English language daily. Mukhim, as a writer, has also contributed pieces to several top publications in the country, such as The Telegraph and The Statesman.

2. She also holds other significant positions in central offices, including educational and advisory boards. Mukhim has been a strong voice against militancy in Meghalaya as well as the upliftment of indigenous women.

3. On July 4, 2020, Mukhim reportedly expressed anguish over an incident in Lawsohtun, Shillong, where “masked miscreants had attacked five boys on a basketball court” on July 3. As reported by The Print, Mukhim’s post said, “This continued attack on non-tribals in Meghalaya whose ancestors have lived here for decades, some having come here since the British period is reprehensible to say the least.”

4. She had further criticised the Lawsohtun village council for its failure to maintain order and urged Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to take “action.” Following her post, the Lawsohtun council had filed a complaint against her for potentially putting tribal lives in “extreme danger.”

5. About Mukhim’s post, the Meghalaya HC decreed, “The author has gone on to assuage the feelings of the non-tribals… there is an attempt to make a comparison between tribals and non-tribals vis-à-vis their rights and security and the alleged tipping of the balance in favour of one community over the other.” It refused to quash the criminal case against her.

6. The Meghalaya HC’s decision incidentally came a day after journalist Arnab Goswami’s bail ordered by the Supreme Court on grounds of “personal liberty.” Read more on that here. Given the contrast of the judiciary’s ruling, many on the internet, including fellow senior journalists, have called out the judgement, asking if there is no “personal liberty” for a journalist from Shillong.

7. A newsbreak by NDTV on November 17 claimed that Mukhim has now quit the Editors Guild of India, on grounds that the journalistic association has maintained "complete silence" in the case against her, while it came to Goswami's defense with a statement condemning his arrest in early November. Calling out the Guild's "selective support," Mukhim confirmed the news on Twitter.

Thanks for taking up this issue of selective support for some and not for others https://t.co/19SUNH15AV

— patricia mukhim (@meipat) November 17, 2020

8. Mukhim's resignation letter reportedly mentions, "I had shared this High Court order with the Guild hoping that it would at least give out a statement condemning it but there was and has been complete silence from the executive... Ironically, the Guild responded with alacrity and issued a statement condemning Arnab Goswami's arrest (a non-member), not on grounds of journalistic pursuits but on an abetment to suicide case. I see this as a classic case of the Guild playing to the gallery to defend celebrity editors/ anchors..."

9. Mukhim has encountered legal trouble in the past too, when in 2019, she was held guilty of contempt of court by the Meghalaya HC. It was in regard to news articles in 2018 headlined ‘When Judges judge for themselves’ and “High Court pursues retirement benefits to judges, family.” The HC had called for a ban on The Shillong Times.

10. Mukhim, along with publisher Shobha Chowdhury, had filed a plea in the Supreme Court against the order. The apex court issued a notice and stayed the Meghalaya HC’s order stating a fine of two lakh rupees and six months of imprisonment if the two are unable to pay the fine within a week. Read more here.