Manipur news media resorts to indefinite strike

IMPHAL: Newspaper and news channels in Manipur have stopped all publications and telecast with immediate effect as journalists resorted to an indefinite strike in protest against threats by unknown miscreants on a vernacular daily Poknapham.

The strike has been launched in compliance with one of the eight resolutions passed during an emergency meeting between the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and the Editors Guild Manipur (EGM), an AMWJU and EGM joint press release said.

The development comes a few days after the state returned to normality after a six-day shutdown of all newspaper offices and news channels.

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The state government has urged all news media to resume operation though.

Chief minister N Biren said the government would deploy armed security guards in all newspaper offices.

Meanwhile, the AMWJU and EGM have set a 48-hour deadline for the individual/group issuing threat to the paper to clarify their charges through email.

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An unidentified miscreant, suspected to be affiliated to a rebel group, hurled a hand grenade at Poknapham office on February 13 and demanded the media house to cease operation for six months. The grenade did not explode.

However, no outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The AMWJU and EGM had demanded punitive action against the miscreant.