Agitating journalists set 48 hrs deadline
Newmai News Network
Imphal | February 15
Agitating journalists in Manipur set 48 hours to the attacker(s) to clarify their act and the state government to book the culprit(s) as newspapers failed to hit stands for the second consecutive day on Monday. The deadline was set by a joint emergency general body meeting (GBM) of All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) and Editors’ Guild Manipur (EGM) held at Manipur Press Club, Imphal.
Scribes are on indefinite cease work strike in protest against a hand grenade attack at the office of the Poknapham daily which also housed its sister publication, The People’s Chronicles on February 13 evening.
The grenade failed to explode but scribes considered it as an attack on the media fraternity.
After ceasing work from Saturday evening itself, scribes staged a sit-in-protest in Imphal on Sunday and submitted a memorandum to the chief minister at the concluding part of the protest.
In response, the CM assured security cover to all media houses. He further assured booking of the attacker(s) soon.
Today’s joint emergency GBM after a thorough deliberation on the matter passed a five-point resolution including the 48 hours deadline. Strongly condemning the bomb attack,it resolved that it was not just an attack on Poknapham and People’s Chronicle but to the media.
The meeting resolved to continue the cease work strike and stage sit-in-protest during the deadline period. AMWJU and EGM further resolved to convene another GBM after the lapse of the 48 hours deadline and discuss further courses of protest to be launched by the scribes depending on the response of the attacker(s) as well as the state Home department.
