When Facts Are Twisted: The Dangerous Role of Misinformation in Modern Media

The recent misreporting involving Maharaja Pradyot Manikya Debbarma is more than a factual error—it’s a wake-up call for media responsibility and bureaucratic accountability.


A Timeline Manipulated


On a calm evening, Maharaja Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, cultural head of Tripura’s royal family and a respected representative of tribal and indigenous communities, arrived at the residence of the District Magistrate at approximately 7:00 pm to discuss urgent civic concerns. His approach was courteous, dignified, and well within reason.

Yet he was denied entry—a decision already questionable from an administrative and ethical standpoint.

What followed was even more alarming: an online news portal falsely reported the visit as taking place at 10:00 PM, painting the Maharaja as a disruptive and inconsiderate figure. This wasn’t a small journalistic slip—it was a calculated distortion of reality.

Let’s reflect: If such treatment can be shown to a cultural leader, what does it signal for ordinary citizens? Bureaucracy is meant to serve—not to shield itself behind gates of power.
The Bureaucrat’s Role: Service, Not Supremacy


Public servants are not gatekeepers of privilege; they are stewards of the people’s concerns. Refusing to meet someone—especially someone representing thousands—at a reasonable hour undermines the very spirit of responsive governance. It betrays a system that is supposed to function on accessibility and empathy.
Journalism or Propaganda?


The online portal’s misreporting is not an isolated incident—it reflects a larger issue: the weaponization of media narratives. By altering the timeline, they didn’t just make a factual error—they tried to reshape public perception. In politically sensitive regions like the Northeast, where history, identity, and governance are tightly interwoven, such manipulation is dangerously irresponsible.

This kind of "reporting" causes cultural damage, incites mistrust, and attempts to silence those who speak for the voiceless.


Disrespect as Cultural Violence


The Maharaja’s role is not administrative—it is cultural and symbolic. His presence embodies the pride, history, and resilience of Tripura’s indigenous communities. To deny him entry and then falsely characterize his actions is not only offensive—it is culturally violent. It reveals a profound disregard for the traditions and sentiments of an entire people.


The Crisis of Media Ethics


What we are witnessing is a growing crisis of ethics in regional journalism. Where once the press stood as a pillar of truth, today too many platforms prioritize clickbait over clarity, politics over principle, and speed over substance. If media houses cannot even verify the time of an event before publishing—and refuse to correct misinformation when confronted—they cease to be journalists. They become tools of manipulation.


A Call for Accountability


This moment demands more than outrage—it demands action. The following steps are crucial:

1. A public apology and immediate correction from the online news portal for misreporting the time and nature of the Maharaja’s visit.  
2. A legal review of the incident under defamation and misinformation clauses.  
3. Formation of a Regional Media Ethics Council to regulate, monitor, and enforce professional standards.  
4. Public support for media outlets that prioritize truth, context, and dignity.
The truth is clear: Maharaja Pradyot visited at 7 PM. He was denied entry. The media twisted the facts. This isn’t just poor journalism—it’s a betrayal of public trust.

When media abandons truth in favor of narrative control, it doesn’t just fail—it endangers democracy.

We, the people of Tripura—and India—deserve media that informs, not misleads. That respects culture, not erases it. That challenges power, not partners with it to suppress voices.

It is time to correct the record.  
It is time to stand for the truth.  
It is time for journalism to redeem itself.