NEW DELHI, Jun 9 : An 11 member inquiry committee of the Press Council of India (PCI), taking up a suo moto case of threats and intimidation of media personnel in Manipur and in particular the bomb threat to the secretary general of Editors’ Guild, Manipur and Editor in Chief of Impact TV, Yumnam Rupachandra today passed an interim recommendation to the State Government to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe threats on journalists in Manipur as well as a rapid action team to look into complaints of journalists in Manipur.
The State Government was represented by Naresh Kumar Gour and he prayed for some more time to reply but was berated by the Chairman of the inquiry committee. The Chairman gave four weeks time to the State Government to submit its reply. On the issue of the NIA seeking disclosure of sources to some media houses, he said the Committee was examining it as the matter has already been brought to its notice. Media houses in Manipur can however file a complaint, he said.
The hearing by the PCI was carried out at Soochna Bhawan, New Delhi and altogether 60 cases were heard by the Committee. Secretary general of EGM, Yumnam Rupachandra deposed on behalf of the EGM. The Committee had also summoned the Chief Secretary of Manipur and DGP but none of them were present today. Taking the matter seriously, the chairman said that PCI would be useless if it cannot provide protection to journalists and asked the Government counsel what the State Government has done to ensure the safety of journalists in Manipur.
