IMPHAL, September 5: The media fraternity in the state has expressed its immense gratitude to the Press Council of India (PCI) and the Indian Journalists` Union (IJU) for seriously taking the plea of the journalists here.
The Press Council of India (PCI) chairman Justice (retired) Markandey Katju had written to Manipur chief minister O Ibobi Singh to ensure the free working of the media in Manipur.
According to All Manipur Working Journalists` Union (AMWJU), it had earlier highlighted the present threats being experienced by the journalists to the Indian Journalists` Union (IJU) and the latter in turn pressed the Press Council of India to take up measures.
The AMWJU said that it has now come to the knowledge of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) regarding the situation faced at the moment by journalists in Manipur.
The Manipur media fraternity then expressed its gratitude to Northeast Indian Federation of Journalists (NIFJ), Journalists` Forum, Assam (JFA) and civil society organisations of Manipur for extending their solidarity to the media persons of Manipur.
Mention may be made here that hundreds of journalists and newspaper hawkers had taken out a protest rally in the heart of Imphal on September 2 to demonstrate against the diktats of a particular insurgent group issued to the media houses and newspaper distributors.