Manipur journalist barred from covering budget session; Assembly clarifies

IMPHAL

The Manipur Legislative Assembly, on February 23, clarified that local journalist Grace Jajo was barred from entering the State Assembly to cover the Budget Session recently owing to her “controversial” Facebook post.

A statement from the Legislative Assembly said that Jajo’s Facebook post amounts to “breach of privilege and contempt of the House.”

On February 20, Grace Jajo had posted a link to the news website ‘The Frontier Manipur’ with the headline "The Frontier Manipur offers explanation on breach of privilege and contempt of House."

In her Facebook post, Jajo had supposedly written “Drama from the Assembly”.

“Her act amounts to demeaning the process taken up by the Assembly Secretariat functioning according to the Rules of Procedure of Conduct of Business in Manipur Legislative Assembly,” the statement read.

The case has been referred to the Committee of Privileges and Ethics, Manipur Legislative Assembly, and a report is awaited.

The Assembly further stated that her Press Card was revoked immediately after the incident and the Editor of the local daily, that Jajo is associated with, was also informed about it.

Meanwhile, the Foundation for Media Professionals (FMP) has criticised the “corrosive action” taken against the reporter for her post.

“The Manipur state government has been building a steady reputation at a national level for astonishing use of state power to curb criticism,” said FMP in a statement issued on Wednesday.

(Edited by Shankar Turha)

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