Indian Newspaper Society on Tuesday alleged that Chhattisgarh government was trying to intimidate a newspaper 'Patrika' and demanded that the state government should desist from any such moves.

In a statement, INS president Ashish Bagga said the body condemned the "attempts" being made by Chhattisgarh government to intimidate 'Patrika', reportedly to suppress reportage about chief minister Raman Singh and relatives.

He said that the filing of 40 to 50 criminal cases against the newspaper, many of them in remote Bastar district, "seems aimed clearly at intimidating the newspaper".

He said members of the ruling party of the state were also learnt to have burnt copies of the newspaper, removed its hoardings by force and indulged in other reprehensible actions.

"The INS has urged the chief minister and the state government to desist from such undemocratic actions against a respected newspaper. The health of a democracy depends on the vibrancy of its media institutions and the INS is committed to resisting any assaults on the freedon of the press," he said.