Manipur dailies protest BJYM's action with blank editorials

Local newspapers in Manipur hit the stands on Monday with their editorial columns blank -- in protest against the burning of some copies of the "Poknapham", a Manipuri language newspaper, by BJP youth activists on Saturday.

On its Saturday edition, the newspaper carried a regular satire column casting aspersions on the BJP, one of the ruling parties in Manipur, over the question of territorial integrity in the light of the imminent implementation of the framework agreement that was signed between the Centre and the armed Naga group, the NSCN-IM on August 3. Both parties are refusing to disclose the details of the agreement.

Miffed over the satirical write-up, some Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists burned copies of the newspaper in the party office.

The President of the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union, Wangkhemcha Shyamjai said, "There is a system in Manipur over such issues. The aggrieved party should hold talks with the publisher and editor of a particular publication to thrash out the differences. The party could go to a law court if its grievances are not settled. The burning of the newspaper copies is unacceptable".

P. Labango Mangang, editor of 'Kangla Pao', told IANS that as a mark of protest all editors were requested not to publish editorials on Monday.

There is no statement from the BJYM as yet over the incident of burning of the newspaper copies, which is regarded as an "infringement of the right to freedom of expression".

--IANS

il/umer/rn