Scribes stage protest against NIA
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 05 2022:
Condemning the harassment meted out to All Manipur Working Journalists' Union president Wangkhemcha Shamjai by National Investigation Agency (NIA), media fraternity ceased work for the day and staged a sit-in protest at Keishampat Leimajam Leikai community hall here on Thursday.
The protest was jointly organised by AMWJU, Editors' Guild Manipur (EGM) and Manipur Hill Journalists' Union (MHJU), and attended by Indian Journalists' Union (IJU) president Geetartha Pathak.
During the protest, various placards inscribed with slogans like, 'We condemn attempt to weaken media', 'Don't attack media's independence', 'Stop Harassing Media', etc, were used.
Speaking on the sidelines of the sit-in, IJU president Geetartha Pathak recounted that on August 2, AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shamjai was summoned by NIA in connection with the arrest of two journalists.
As per the instructions, Shamjai went to the NIA's office at around 10 am and was made to stay in the office till 12 pm, after which the questioning was carried out.
At around 5pm, an NIA office entered the office and questioned him (Shamjai) about the various proscribed groups in the state.
Condemning NIA's actions, AMWJU and EGM held an emergency meeting at Manipur Press Club and a memorandum denouncing the action was submitted to the Governor and the chief minister, he recounted.
Stating that a democratic society must not accept such treatment of a journalist by NIA, Geetartha said that this act of NIA is challenging the independence of media.
Thus, IJU strongly condemns such acts, he said, while urging the Governor and the chief minister to take up steps to prevent NIA or any other investigating agencies from harassing the media in the future.