The Editors Guild of India and Manipur's journalists' union have sent legal notices to the Editors Guild of India over alleged 'biased and sponsored' information 'favouring one particular community only' in the EGI's report on the media coverage of the Manipur ethnic violence.
The report was released by a three-member EGI team on 4 September after staying in Manipur for four days.
The notices sent by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union and the Editors' Guild of Manipur said the EGI's report resulted in escalation of violence when Manipur was limping back to normalcy.
The report cites the Manipur Forest Department's letter to the state government denying allegations made by the EGI's fact-finding team on the status of'reserved' and 'protected' forests.
The EGI alleges that the state's leadership became partisan during the conflict.
A police case has also been filed against the fact-finding team and the EGI chief, Seema Mustafa, by Imphal-based social worker N Sarat Singh claiming the report submitted by the EGI team was 'false, fabricated and sponsored'.
The EGI eventually went to the Supreme Court, which granted them protection from police action until the next hearing.