Agartala, Dec 20 (UNI) Press Council of India (PCI) has accepted the complaint against Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for threatening to media on September 11 this year in a public function at Sabroom in South Tripura while delivering a speech in the foundation stone laying ceremony of first SEZ.
The Assembly of Journalists (AoJ) had complained Deb with PCI alleging that after the threat of Chief Minister, the media outlets and journalists across the state have become subject to attack by the miscreants and despite registering a specific case against the perpetrators no action was taken.
The PCI officials in a letter to AoJ Chairman Subal Kumar Dey sought clarifications on the complaint within three weeks of the receipt of notice and asked to submit, “How the inaction of the respondent authorities amounts to the curtailment of freedom of the press and mention the reason of inaction of the respondent authorities.”
The letter also sought an explanation from the complainant that in case of the action of the respondent authorities is a reprisal measure for writing the newspapers, critical of the respondent, clippings of those to be furnished. The copy of the letter written to the respondent authorities towards the grievances and the response received if any has also needed to be submitted for the next action.
The AoJ alleged that Chief Minister Deb warned, “A section of over-enthusiastic media is trying to mislead and confuse people by publishing exaggerated and false news on COVID in Tripura, history will not forgive them, Tripura will not forgive them, nor shall I; history is witness that I Biplab Kumar Deb always do what I say I will do”.
The journalist bodies had condemned the statement of Deb and requested him to withdraw it but Chief Minister had not responded, for which AoJ launched statewide protest wearing a black badge and sit-in demonstration in the city. They have also threatened to boycott the Chief Minister unless he withdraws the statement and seeks an unconditional apology.
“We are happy with PCI for accepting our complaint and we shall detail the accounts of repressive steps of Tripura government against media. Most unusually, Biplab Deb has issued a circular to the administration prohibiting government officials barring a few in interactions with media persons that blocked the news sources. As many as 14 journalists were attacked after CM’s warning to media so far and seven media houses were vandalized in last three months but no action is taken,” said AoJ General Secretary Sanit Debroy.
He alleged if any media writes anything inconvenient for the government or critical to the governance, Tripura government is targeting the journalist. The advertisement to the particular media is stopped, the miscreants of the ruling party have been mobilised against the journalist and social media campaign at the behest of CM Deb resorts against the media person, which are counterproductive for press freedom, Debroy added.
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