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Un-civic behaviour towards journalists by GMC commissioner

Guwahati: Journalists Action Committee, Assam has demanded public apology from the commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation for his unruly behaviour to a section of reporters on September 16 in his office.

Mentionable that a group of journalists, representing print and visual media went to the office of GMC commissioner to gather information regarding the demands from a group of 28 councilors of Asom Gana Parishad, Trinamul Gana Parishad, Bharatia Janata Party with few independent members. The councilors were unanimous while demanding the re-instating the public representative forum of GMC following a verdict by Gauhati High Court in this respect.

The JAC, a media rights body of Assam, alleges that on Tuesday, the GMC commissioner Manish Thakur not only chased the reporters, but also abused them with unparliamentarily words. He also threatened the reporters to kill by a pistol from one of his body guards. More surprisingly the IAS officer dragged one reporter to the nearby office of Senior Superintendent of Police, Guwahati. The reporters later lodged an FIR (case no 351/08 under section 506, 352) at Panbazar police station in the city.

"We demand public apology from the GMC commissioner within seven days for his un-civic behaviour towards the media persons. We have already sent a memorandum to the chief minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi today demanding an 'immediate interference' on the issue," said Prakash Mahanta, secretary, JAC.

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Neekita Dewan Limboo's picture

Administrators should respect the press.

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