Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Left party CPM had alleged that Doordarshan, the public broadcaster, had not aired Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar‘s Independence speech on 15 Aug.

CPM leader Brinda Karat had alleged that the public broadcaster channel Doordarshan had recorded Tripura CM’s speech on 12 Aug which was to be broadcast on 15 Aug. But the CM received a mail from the Prasar Bharti on the eve of 14 Aug saying that Manik will have to make some changes in his speech. Manik Sarkar had refused to make any changes to the speech and called it as an undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant step taken by the channel asking him to make changes in his speech.

Denying the allegations made by CPM, Doordarshan Kendra, Agartala called it as censorship.U.K.Sahoo, Head office, Doordarshan Kendra, Agartala in his statement said that the local station of Agartala had given wide coverage to the speech of the CM and the development policies undertaken by the government for the state. He stated, “I would like to state that News Unit of the local station of Doordarshan at Agartala has given wide coverage to the public address of Chief Minister of Tripura and the development activities of the state government.”

He added that Doordarshan has run the telecast report of the function of the Independence day on 5 Aug for 29 minutes and 25 seconds. Out of which, the chief minister’s speech coverage was for 12 minutes. The telecast was aired at 7:00 pm. He also informed that the repeat telecast of the functions was broadcast at 4:45 pm the next day on 16 Aug. He said that apart from this the chief minister’s speech and Independence Day programme in various districts of Tripura were given wide publicity in the regional news bulletin. Defending the channel he told that Doordarshan has been airing the Chief Minister’s speeches and has provided wide publicity to the programmes and schemes implemented by the government for almost 25 years now.

However, an official statement from the Chief Minister’s office read that Manik Sarker’s speech was recorded by the channel on 12 Aug to be aired on 15 Aug. But On August 14 evening Assistant Director of Programmes (Policy) Sanjiv Dosajh of AIR, New Delhi, and Prasar Bharati’s Head of Office (New Delhi) U.K. Sahoo in separate communications to the Chief Minister’s Office said that with the existing contents the speech could not be telecast and broadcast by AIR and DDK, Agartala, and asked to make changes in the speech making it suitable to the solemnity of the occasion and sentiments of the people of India. Sarkar refused to make any changes and Left Front leaders along with Congress criticised the channel for demanding change in the speech meanwhile, BJP criticised the speech of Manik.

Mrinal Kanti Deb, spokesperson of Tripura BJP unit told ET, “Sarkar has no sense of what to speak and where. In past, in presence of international delegates and in public forum he said India is acting as “big brother”. On Independence Day speech one can refrain from attacking Centre and concentrate on national integration, national security, peace and development of the country.”

The speech of the Chief Minister of Tripura, Manik Sarkar read :

“Before us on this year’s Independence Day are quite a few very relevant, important and contemporary issues. Unity in diversity is India’s traditional heritage. Great values of secularism have helped in keeping Indians together as a nation. But today, this spirit of secularism is under attack. Conspiracies and attempts are underway to create an undesirable complexity and divisions in our society; to invade our national consciousness in the name of religion, caste and community, by inciting passions to convert India into a particular religious country and in the name of protecting the cow. Because of all these people of Minority and Dalit communities are under severe attack. Their sense of security is being shattered. Their life is

Because of all these people of Minority and Dalit communities are under severe attack. Their sense of security is being shattered. Their life is under peril. These unholy tendencies cannot be harboured or tolerated. These disruptive attempts are contrary to the goals, dreams and ideals of our freedom struggle. The followers of those who were not associated with the Independence movement, rather sabotaged the freedom movement, were servile to the atrocious, plunderer and merciless British, aligned with the anti-national forces having decorated themselves today in different names and colours are striking at the root of unity and integrity of India.

In contrast to the anti-people policies of the Government at the Centre, the State Government of Tripura despite its limitations has been pursuing policies for the welfare of people in all walks of life with a special focus on the downtrodden and to advance forward with their cooperation. This is a totally different and an alternative path. This path has been able to not only attract the people of Tripura but also elicit a positive response of the downtrodden people of our country. This is not being tolerated by the reactionary forces here in Tripura. Hence, conspiracies are being hatched up one after another by the enemies of the people to disturb the peace, fraternity and integrity of the State. And at the same time attempts are on to disrupt the realm of developmental works.”