On his two-day visit to Manipur, the home minister, along with central officials, arrived here on Tuesday. But no news of his visit was carried in Wednesday's edition of dailies published from Imphal.
Around 40 minutes ahead of Chidambaram's arrival at Imphal airport, a group of reporters reached there but police did not allow them to move ahead from a specific point. However, from the area where the reporters were stopped, the video and photo coverage could not be made.
When the scribes requested to meet any responsible officer for talks on the matter, a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) came out and reiterated the same point that no one could be allowed to go further without permission.
Stating that it was an order from the SP, the SDPO asked the journalists to stay away as their presence would raise questions, an AMWJU statement said. The SDPO also told the journalists that restrictions had been imposed on entry of even civilians inside the airport, the statement added. Finding no other option, the journalists left the airport empty handed.
Following a joint meeting of AMWJU leaders, editors and correspondents at the union's Imphal office on Tuesday evening, the decision to stay away from covering news of Chidambaram's Manipur visit was taken.
The meeting strongly condemned the police's unruly conduct in preventing newsmen from taking photographs or coverage the visit of an important person like the Union home minister to the state.