EGM, AMWJU condemn attack on media
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 01 2022:
Editors' Guild Manipur (EGM) and All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) have condemned the manhandling and preventing of journalists covering 12th Manipur State Assembly Elections at two different spots on Monday.
On behalf of the scribes' bodies, EGM secretary general Yumnam Rupachandra informed that supporters of a particular candidate manhandled a journalist of TOM TV while he was covering the election at the Naoriya Pakhanglakpa AC .
According to the journalist Sagolsem Hemchandra, some persons said to be workers of Naoriya Pakhanglakpa AC candidate Subhaschandra of NPP accosted him while he was doing his duty at Ningombam area and manhandled him and asked him to delete a footage he had taken.
The team also snatched away his helmet and threatened him in spite of telling them that he was a journalist and showing his press card.
They forcibly made him take off his mask and took photograph.
In another incident a team of journalists from Churachandpur was stopped by a group of armed persons in combat uniform while they were on their way to cover an election related crime at Teikot polling station under Singhat AC.
The team was stopped just outside Teikot village by the armed persons suspected to be militants under Suspension of Operation.
The armed group prevented the media team from entering the village and was turned back.
The EGM arid AWMJU strongly condemn these actions and demand that the state government and office of the Chief Election Office of Manipur take appropriate action within a reasonable time frame, failing which the media fraternity will take actions deemed necessary, the secretary general cautioned.
While expressing that both incidents are attack on the media and freedom of expression, he also said that a-written complaint will be submitted to the CEO, Manipur within short notice.