MPP flays SPF govt of gagging media
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 06 2011:
Manipur People's Party (MPP) Thursday criticized the ruling SPF (Secular Progressive Front) government of making the media as its target and appealed to the people to be cautious of such moves.
After terrorising the populace and killing people in a series of fake encounters, the SPF government has now turned its might towards the media.
They are trying to gag media persons to prevent exposing their misdeeds, said president in-charge MPP, Yanglem Mangi today addressing a press conference.
He said the SPF government is trying to shut the mouth of the media in order to cover up the government's wrongdoings which the media has been exposing from time to time.
The MPP leader said during the nine year tenure of the SPF government, a large number of people had been killed by the police and security forces in fake encounters and the media were compelled to tell fake stories despite the hue and cry of the families of the victims.
Police are trying to cover up the truth behind the incidents by threatening media persons and compelling them to report concocted story of incidents, he alleged.
After the arrest of A Mobi, editor of Sanaleibak daily, who is also the vice president cum spokesperson of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), police built up a fake story.
When the police arrested him they said he was an activist of a KCP faction and claimed to have recovered a cash amount of ' 50,000 but when he was produced in the court, they told another story of him having a nexus with the group in extorting money from the general public, he said.
The arrest of Mobi comes after the murder of sub-editor of Imphal Free Press, K Rishikanta of which people have been suspicious of police involvement and which is under CBI investigation.
Government is unable to produce facts about the arrest of Mobi and the Chief Minister, O Ibobi should bring out the facts on the charges levelled against Mobi with full proof evidences.
If this cannot be done then there is no wrong in saying that the arrest of Mobi is a game-plan of the government to gag the media.
He further alleged that the SPF government's MLAs and ministers are all engaged in contract and supply works.
The situation has arrived where we must all be aware of the SPF government is actually doing.