'We did not produce today's editions of papers in protest against the attack on the house of editor of popular daily SANALEIBAK and president of the All Manipur Journalists' Union (AMWJU) A. Mobi at Thongju area in Imphal west district on Saturday night,' sources in media houses said.
Appealing to all including militants, the media houses said they should be allowed to work freely so that the daily editions could be published uninterruptedly to serve the public interest.
An AMWJU spokesman said media in Manipur was unable to work freely due to intervention from various quarters including militants and other 'powerful and unwanted quarters'.
The spokesman told reporters that intervention in the smooth functioning of media persons and media houses by various militant groups had led to frequent non-publication of dailies and asked how could media persons work under the diktat of militants.
While one group would issue a press statement which was 'not printable'as per guidelines of the Press Council of India (PCI) and would order media persons to publish it verbatim, another opponent group would threaten the scribes with dire consequences if the said statement of the rival group was published, the spokesman said.
AMWJU president Mobi's house was attacked by exploding a powerful grenade by suspected militants on Saturday night but no casualty was reported.
State Home Minister Gaikhangam had earlier said that steps had been taken to protect mediapersons and media houses by deploying security and police personnel at places near the media houses in the state.
