SHILLONG, March 19 – A Meghalaya Congress lawmaker today assaulted a photojournalist inside the Meghalaya Assembly premises for taking a picture of the legislator dozing during one of the current sessions.
Walton Lyttan, a photojournalist with a Guwahati-based photo agency in Assam was confronted by Founder Strong Cajee inside the Assembly and assaulted him. He was immediately rushed to the Shillong Civil Hospital for medical treatment.
Lyttan had taken a picture of Cajee dozing during one of the budget sessions of the Meghalaya Assembly in Northeast India, which was published in several vernacular newspapers.
The Shillong Press Club (SPC) condemning the attack filed an FIR against the Congress legislator and also demanded action from the Speaker, Charles Pyngrope and Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma.
The members of the SPC strongly condemning the attack said that it was an assault not only on the photojournalist alone, but also on the entire press fraternity and freedom of the press.
The members also resolved in an emergency meeting that as a mark of protest black armbands would be worn by all journalists covering the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition from the Nationalist Congress Party, Conrad Sangma condemning the attack said that such an incident is unprecedented in Meghalaya’s history.
“It is unbecoming of a legislator to physically attack anyone, that too inside the Assembly. We from the Opposition strongly condemn the act and demand action from the Speaker,” Sangma said.
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