Manipur Journalists Call For Media Blackout Over MST Bus Row, Guv Orders Probe

Manipur Violence | Manipur Journalists Call For Media Blackout Over MST Bus Row, Guv Orders Probe Journalists from Imphal valley turned back midway while going to Ukhrul district to attend the state-level Shirui Lily Festival after the security forces covered the word 'Manipur' on the windshield of a state-run bus in which they were travelling. The journalists shared visuals showing some people covering the name of the state on the windshield with tape and paper. They protested against the act, and questioned why the name of the state can't be visible. The bus chartered by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) had to pass through some villages where the Kuki tribes are dominant while going to Ukhrul district, the picturesque venue of the Shirui Lily Festival themed on the state's rare flower. Two media bodies in Manipur in a joint letter to the Governor asked for an investigation into what went wrong. "This incident has triggered serious questions regarding freedom of the press, public safety, and the existing security environment in the region, including the issue of who is governing the state: the state government or the central security forces. Media personnel have called for clarity from the authorities regarding the rationale behind the instruction, especially given the state-backed nature of the journey," Editors' Guild of Manipur secretary general Yumnam Rupachandra and All Manipur Working Journalists Union general secretary Khwairakpam Naoba said in the letter to the Governor. The media associations said all news firms will hold a pen-down strike on Wednesday, and may extend it if swift action is not taken against those responsible for the lapse.