Journalists today staged a walk-out in the Assembly protesting against reported remarks by Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma accusing media houses of being mouthpieces of the militants and of publishing only "paid news".
Journalists, including editors and senior correspondents of newspaper houses walked out of the Assembly while the chief minister was replying to the debate on the budget.
An attempt by the Opposition to discuss the matter in the Assembly last Friday was rejected by Speaker Abu Taher Mondal even as several dailies and vernacular newspapers published from here also carried blank editorials.
Defending his statement, Mukul alleged that the chief minister was being 'gagged'.
Such move will 'go against our own rights and privileges and it goes against the provisions of the Constitution itself', he had said.
As many dailies and vernacular newspapers carried blank edits, the Meghalaya Editors and Publishers Association had openly sought the chief minister's withdrawal of the statement 'to restore' good relationships.
