The journalists have urged the responsible authorities to look into the matter and take necessary actions to ensure that the media fraternity is not further harassed by the NIA or any other investigating agencies in future.
TFM Report
All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU), Editors’ Guild Manipur (EGM) and Manipur Hill Journalists’ Union (MHJU) have jointly condemned the alleged intimidation and metal harassment meted out to AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shamjai by National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials on August 2. A protest demonstration was held on Thursday to denounce the “interference” perpetrated by NIA with the working of the media community.
AMWJUm EGM and MHJU have also jointly submitted a joint memorandum to the Home Minister, Governor, Manipur Chief Minister, Press Council of India (PCI) and Indain Journalists’ Union (IJU) detailing the “intimidation and metal harassment” meted out to AMWJU president.
The memorandum expressed “shock and disappointment” on the manner in which the President of AMWJU Wangkhemcha Shamjai was summoned by NIA and “treated him like an accused person at its Imphal office on August 2, 2022”.
A joint emergency meeting of AMWJU, EGM and MHJU was also convened at Manipur Press Club in Imphal on August 3, 2022 and expressed “strong resentment on such treatment meted out to Shamjai”.
The memorandum said that on July 31, Shamjai received a phone call from an officer of NIA asking him to turn up at their office at 10 am of August 2, 2022. “With a clear mind to co-operate with the agency’s investigation, Shamjai turned up on time. However, to his utter surprise, he was left in a small room without being interacted till one officer began interrogating him around noon. He was then hurled with uncomfortable and unrelated queries in another room. According to Shamjai, he was also intimidated by the NIA sleuths. The interrogation continued till around 5 pm”, said the memorandum.
“We seriously take such excesses of the NIA as an insult and a big challenge to the independence of the media. Nevertheless, we as a law abiding and responsible citizens have been co-operating with any investigation taken up by the law enforcing/investigating agencies. And, we will continue to do so in future”, further added the memorandum.
The journalists have urged the responsible authorities to look into the matter and take necessary actions to ensure that the media fraternity is not further harassed by the NIA or any other investigating agencies in future.