Maharashtra Governor S C Jamir on Saturday strongly condemned the ransacking of the office of television channel IBN-Lokmat and attack on media-persons, saying these incidents receive overt and covert political patronage.
"The attack on the office of a media organisation and
media-persons is shocking and shameful. This is the third major incident of attack on media in last 18 months. What is alarming is the overt and covert political patronage these incidents of vandalism receive from political parties and individuals," Jamir said.
"Maharashtra is one of the most progressive states in the country and such incidents do a great harm to the fair image of the state and that of its people," he said.
While it is necessary to punish the perpetrators of violence, it is equally imperative to punish and expose those who incite and justify such uncivilised action, Jamir said.
"The media also needs to observe due restraint and remain objective while presenting news and opinions," he added.
"While condemning the attack on the media house and channel editor Nikhil Wagle in strongest words, I am asking the state government to take exemplary steps to stop such attacks on media and media-persons in the future," a Raj Bhawan spokesperson quoted Jamir as saying.