AMWJU Rejects Claims of Bias and Coercion, Insists Membership Open to All Qualified Reporters Amid Escalating Media Rights Tensions
The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) has fired off a stern legal notice to the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), calling for the outright retraction of a contentious report on media roles in the Manipur ethnic strife. Labeling the document as riddled with falsehoods, unconfirmed anecdotes, and reputational sabotage, the union demands an unqualified public apology to restore its standing as a defender of press integrity and ethical reporting.
Crafted by advocate Hijam Chandrakumar, who doubles as a key figure in the joint Media Legal Committee of AMWJU and the Editors’ Guild Manipur (EGM), the notice dissects the PUCL’s “media testimonies” publication as a barrage of unsubstantiated barbs. It accuses the report of branding AMWJU as “Godi media”—a term implying government favoritism—while falsely linking the union to intimidation tactics against fellow journalists, distorting its inclusive membership policies, and deploying divisive phrases like “Imphal-based Meitei media.”
AMWJU vehemently refutes these portrayals, asserting that its doors swing wide for any eligible working journalist affiliated with Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI)-registered outlets, guided solely by its bylaws, state and national regulations, and protocols from the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR). Ethnicity or background plays no role in eligibility, the union stresses, countering allegations of exclusionary or slanted practices that undermine the sector’s diversity.
The notice pulls no punches on procedural lapses, charging that PUCL’s output hinges on unchecked whispers without affording AMWJU a fair hearing—a glaring breach of natural justice norms. “This unchecked narrative has inflicted profound damage on the trust and authority AMWJU has nurtured for years as a bulwark for journalistic standards and media freedoms,” Chandrakumar underscored.
With a 30-day ultimatum hanging in the balance, non-compliance will unleash a dual-pronged legal onslaught under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. This includes defamation suits alongside claims for substantial compensation, aiming to hold PUCL accountable for what AMWJU deems a reckless assault on the fourth estate’s guardians in a volatile conflict zone.
This showdown amplifies the fragile tightrope Manipur’s media navigates amid ethnic flare-ups, where accusations of partisanship collide with pleas for unfiltered truth-telling. As the union rallies for vindication, it spotlights the urgent need for balanced scrutiny that bolsters rather than besieges those chronicling the crisis, ensuring diverse voices endure without fear or favor.
Edited by: Keshav Pathak
Relevant Tags
Manipur Journalists Union, AMWJU PUCL Dispute, Media Defamation Case Manipur, Godi Media Allegations, Ethnic Conflict Reporting Manipur, Editors Guild Manipur, Press Freedom Northeast India, Legal Notice Journalists, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Defamation, Indigenous Media Rights Manipur
Hashtags
#AMWJUPUCL #ManipurMediaRow #PressFreedom #DefamationNotice #EthnicConflictManipur #GodiMediaClaim #JournalistsRights #NortheastNews #MediaEthics #BNSLegalAction
