AMWJU, EGM launch ticket sales for cinema charity show
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 07 2025: All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) president Bijoy Kakchingtabam and Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) president Khogendra Khomdram on Friday jointly launched the ticket sales for a cinema charity show to be screened at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) on March 8 .

The charity show is being organised to support the legal battle of AMWJU and EGM against the fact-finding team of Editors Guild of India (EGI) .

The press briefing and launching of tickets was held today at the Koubru Hall of Manipur Press Club.

Romi Meitei's "Our Home" (Eikhoigi Yum) and Haobam Paban Kumar's "Joseph's Son" will be screened at 1 pm and 5 pm.

Prices for the tickets have been fixed at Rs 1000 and Rs 1500 depending on the seating.

Elaborating on the legal battle of the two media organisations, Bijoy Kakchingtabam said that a fact-finding team of EGI visited the State in connection with the Manipur violence in August 2023.They visited areas including Churachandpur and Kangpokpi and met with members of EGM and AMWJU who presented them with relevant newspaper cuttings and accurate information about the genesis of the conflict.

After they went back, they unfortunately published a report built on a foundation of falsehoods and biases.

The report is also available on their website, said Bijoy.

Thereafter, a communication was sent to EGI with a request to review their report as it contained inaccurate information.

However, the request was largely ignored and as a result AMWJU registered a criminal defamation case against EGI at the Court of CJM, Imphal East, said the AMWJU president.

Meanwhile, EGM filed a civil defamation case against EGI at the Court of CJM, Imphal West.

The Court instructed the EGI team to come to Manipur and appear before the Court but in response the EGI team filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court of India asking for the proceedings to be held in Delhi.

Ever since, EGM and AMWJU have been engaged in a legal battle, said Bijoy.

At the time, legal expert and Senior Advocate Sapam Bishorjit stepped up to take on the case without charging any legal fees.

However, AMWJU and EGM have been bearing his travel and other necessary expenditures and a Media Legal Assistance Management Committee was formed in this regard.

The charity show along with a lottery will be held under the supervision of this Committee, he added.

Yumnam Rupachandra, general secretary, EGM, said that the lottery will be held after the show with Enfield Hunter Bike as the first prize and iPhone 15 as the second prize.

Comment