Imphal: Prominent Imphal-based newspapers, including the daily that was burned allegedly by members of the BJP's youth wing, left their editorial columns blank on Monday in protest.

Copies of vernacular newspaper Poknapham were set on fire by unidentified persons in front of the BJP's party office at Nityapat Chuthek here on Saturday over alleged disparaging content against the Prime Minister.

"The editorial column was left blank today in protest against burning of an Imphal-based newspaper by the BJP's youth wing," the editor of Sangai Express said.

The president of the All Manipur Working Journalists Union, W. Shyamjai, condemned the incident and told reporters that "the act of burning the paper amounts to promulgation of mob culture".

The Manipur Pradesh Yuva Morcha did not discuss the matter with the editors and the publishers of Poknapham, Shyamjai added.

The president of the Editors' Guild, Manipur, A. Mobi, said the members of the party should have approached the right forum instead of burning the paper.

A BJP official said the Vox Populi column in Saturday's edition of Poknapham earned the wrath of his party members. "The content of the column is derogatory towards the Prime Minister," said a BJP official.

However, he did not confirm if the copies of Poknapham were burned by his party members. "The case might be taken to the Press Council of India," he added.