The Editors Guild of India, accused of defending “celebrity” anchors while choosing to ignore the plea of one of its own members from the Northeast, on Thursday wrote to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal expressing “deep concern” about the “growing” incidence of violence against journalists in the state.

The letter, signed by Guild president Seema Mustafa, general secretary Sanjay Kapoor and treasurer Anant Nath, comes at a time The Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim has quit the outfit to protest against its silence after Meghalaya High Court on November 10 refused to quash an FIR filed against her.

In her resignation letter, Mukhim, who has refused to reconsider her decision and floated the idea of a broad-based and inclusive journalists’ forum in the Northeast, had mentioned that the Guild had spoken up for Republic TV managing director Arnab Goswami when he was arrested in a suicide abetment case.

To its letter to chief minister Sonowal, the Guild has attached a list of 32 journalists killed in Assam since 1981.

The Guild said journalists had been subjected to mob attacks, intimidation and threats, which is vitiating the environment needed for the functioning of an independent and vibrant media.

“While we appreciate your (Sonowal’s) firm condemnation of these incidents, the situation demands your urgent intervention to assure the media that they are safe to report without fearing retribution from criminal mafia. In the absence of that, a sense of impunity could embolden attackers who may believe that they are above law,” the Guild said.

It added: “We record our appreciation of your efforts in bringing monetary relief to the kin of the 32 journalists killed in Assam since 1981 with generous compensations. However, most of the cases have not been resolved with allegations of shoddy investigations. In many cases culprits roam free, intimidating the families of the slain journalists. We hope you will urge the state police to take necessary steps for rebuilding confidence in the media, so that they can operate without fear.”

Mukhim, against whom a Dorbar Shnong (traditional institution) had lodged an FIR for her July 4 Facebook post following an attack on a group of non-tribal youths playing basketball in Shillong, referred sarcastically to the Guild letter.

“So the conscience of the Editors Guild of India is now awakened about a periphery called Assam. A delayed letter written to Assam CM about ongoing incidence of violence against journalists and urging him to take steps to ensure their safety. Wow, so noble,” Mukhim tweeted.

The letter does not mention Mukhim but refers to the November 15 assault on journalist Milan Mahanta, 42, from Mirza in lower Assam’s Kamrup district.

Mahanta, who writes for vernacular dailies Asomiya Pratidin and Dainik Asom, was tied to a pole and assaulted by goons. He had named three accused but none has been arrested till date, Mahanta told The Telegraph on Thursday.

The incident came close on the heels of the death of Parag Bhuyan, a journalist with the Pratidin Time channel, who was run over by a car near his home in Kakopathar under questionable circumstances. The Pratidin Time editor has alleged that Bhuyan was murdered as he had been receiving threats for exposing corruption and illegal activities of a criminal nexus in the Kakopathar area.