RK Nimai maintained that the act was an attempt to muzzle free speech which is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.
TFM Desk
The controversy surrounding the removal of props (Kabak) between the jaws of replicas of two Kanglashas inside the historic Kangla Fort in Imphal took an ugly turn on Friday when some individuals, numbering around 20-30, burnt copies of a local daily in front of the residence RK Nimai. He had recently written an article in the daily criticising the manner in which the Kaabaks were removed recently. The mob also shouted slogans against RK Nimai in front of his residence at Palace Compound, Imphal.
A joint meeting of All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and Editor’s Guild Manipur (EGM) on Friday vehemently condemned the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the people concerned for attacking media and threatening media persons. The meeting also resolved to urge the police to arrest the culprit within seven days, failing which a meeting will be called to discuss “further course of action”.
RK Nimai, who is a member of AMWJU, wrote to the union to take necessary action against the culprits while maintaining that the act was an attempt to muzzle free speech which is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.
In the complaint letter, RK Nimai said that he was in the bathroom when about 20 persons reportedly came at his gate at around 10.30 am, shouted slogans and burnt perhaps a copy of his article which was published in a local daily regarding the wrong steps taken for the removal of the props from the Kanglashas. They were there for not long and when he came out, they had left, he added.
In a letter to the DGP, Government of Manipur, AMWJU and EGM also urged the state police to resolve several other cases related to media houses that have remained unsolved till date. The journalist bodies also request to provide up-to-date report of the action taken so far on — Bomb attack on Poknapham office and on at least three cybercrime cases filed by AMWJU, and other media houses.