Editors' Guild clarifies on APO charges
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 22 2015: A person who identified himself as Th Samo of Lamphel has tried to tarnish the image of media persons of the state as a whole and president of Editors' Guild Manipur A Mobi in particular by alleging that journalists are ignorant about laws of the land and exploit their professional advantages for personnel gain.

The assertion was made in a clarification issued by the Editors' Guild Manipur on the charges reportedly made in a press statement signed by Th Samo.

The EGM recounted that its president Mobi and general secretary Rupachandra met the director of DIPR last November in connection with a document of the editors' body.

On the suggestion of the director, they met several officials and finally came to the office of Samo, the APO (Press), DIPR.

From the moment they entered his office, Samo greeted them very rudely and accused them of feeding misleading information about DIPR to the Governor and Chief Minister.

When the two clarified that the Governor arranged the meeting as a routine interaction with editors and senior journalists and denied ever putting up negative views about DIPR, Samo confronted them with the claim that one of DIPR staff was a witness to the conversation.

Though the alleged witness affirmed that it was another editor, Samo went on to accuse them of collecting large sums from the government.

Infuriated by his allegation, Mobi banged his table refuting the charges.

While conceding that the freedom of speech and expression does not allow a journalist to slam the table of an officer, the Editors Guild's statement questioned whether the Indian law allows an officer to hurl wild charges affecting the dignity of the editors as a whole.

It charged that Samo only stopped from physical assault after the EGM general secretary warned that it will create unwanted situation though he had cited his respect for the law for not resorting to violence.

It further asserted that the demand for his removal was made not for personal reasons but in anticipation of more complication if he continues to occupy the post of APO (Press) due to his disrespect for pressmen.

SAMO'S STATEMENT .

On the other hand, the press statement issued by Samo stated that 'journalists do not have the right to bang on the table of people holding position of authority and the right is not guaranteed by Rights to freedom of speech and expression' under the Indian Constitution.

He went on to suggest that journalist should also be well versed in the law of the land.

In his statement Samo added that he had no personal enmity with Mobi and is not concerned with what type of journalist he is or president of which organisation.

"I scolded Mobi for the simple reason that he entered my room and banged on my table," the note stated.

It added that call for boycott of government and demanding suspension of an official on matters of personal issues is an act contradictory to ethics of journalism.

Samo in the statement claimed that Government does not exist because of journalists and warned that if act of defamation continues by referring to names and official position, a defamation case will be initiated.

Taking advantage of his profession, Mobi should not use newspapers to achieve personal ends and absence of physical violence was due to respect for law, the statement said.

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