SHILLONG: Joining the rest of the country, the journalists of Shillong Press Club and Meghalaya Electronic Media Association (MEMA) held a candle light vigil in memory of slain journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh at Khyndai Lad on Thursday.
Residents cutting across communities, political organizations, people attended the solemn gathering in which they lit candles and signed on a banner.
Speaking to reporters, Kyrmenlang Uriah, president of MEMA voiced concern about the growing incidents of violence against journalists.
He said, “We reiterate the demand that Meghalaya Government implement a risk insurance scheme for working journalist in the state of Meghalaya.”
Uriah added that journalists play a crucial role in enabling citizens to know what is happening around, to keep the public informed and to expose the misdeeds of the mighty & powerful.
“Criminal intimidation of journalists and preventing them from performing their duties are violations of the freedoms enshrined in and guaranteed by the Constitution,” he added.