Shillong, November 18 (IANS): Veteran journalist and Padma Shri awardee Patricia Mukhim has resigned from the Editors Guild of India (EGI), alleging that the esteemed scribes' body "defends" only celebrity journalists.
Mukhim, who is also the editor of leading daily The Shillong Times, said that the EGI was silent about her case, while it issued statements condemning the arrest of non-member Arnab Goswami (Republic TV Editor-in-Chief) whose arrest according to her was not even on grounds of journalistic pursuits.
"I have sent my resignation letter to the EGI on Monday as the Guild had taken a different stand on my and Goswami's case," she told IANS over phone.
The Meghalaya High Court Judge Justice W. Diengdoh on November 10 in his ruling found Mukhim guilty of creating communal disharmony a crime under Section 153 CrPC and refused to quash an FIR filed by the Lawsohtun Dorbar Shnong, a traditional institution in Shillong.
"I had shared the single bench order of the High Court with the EGI expecting that it would at least issue a statement condemning the court's order but nothing was done yet.
The Guild responded speedily and issued statement condemning Goswami's arrest (a non-member), not on grounds of journalistic pursuits but on an abetment to suicide case," Mukhim said.
There was no reaction from the EGI yet about the resignation of the Shillong Times Editor.
