Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA) expresses serious concern over the recent Silchar violence where television journalists were also targeted by a section of people. The forum urges the State chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, also in charge of home portfolio, to adopt policies for safeguarding the journalists on duty in the line of police and physicians.
Tension mounted as two religious factions engaged in confrontations in the Silchar court locality following an inter-religion marriage. The family members of the Hindu bride lodged a complaint in the police station and a hearing was scheduled in the court on Tuesday. Soon more people from the Muslim groom family arrived in the location paving the way for verbal conflicts between the two factions.
Similar incidents of confrontations relating to the particular marriage also took place in other parts of Cachar district in Barak valley, where some people turned violent and injured few. The authority has already imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in various parts of Silchar. The angry mob also torched few roadside vehicles. Even attending scribes were not soared and they attacked the news channel reporters.
“The on-duty media persons, who are no way party in this case, must not be targeted by any faction. The police and authority should ensure security to those scribes so that they can perform their duties accordingly. Moreover, we should have a special protection law for journalists on duty at the earliest,” said an EMFA statement.
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