BJP government intimidating media, alleges Congress

Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge on Friday alleged that the Modi government was pressurising and intimidating the media so that it does not write against it and cited the instance of two senior employees of a news television channel who were told to quit after doing a reality check programme on Prime Minister Narendra Modis claimsThe allegations were rebutted by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore who said the first news aired by the channel was wrong but no showcause notice was issued and it was the oppositions habit to blame the government for everythingThere is right to speak right to write Article 19 gives the right to freedom of expression But it is very regrettable that there have been several instances of ban on the media Specially when the media has gone against the government or has done a reality check there is an attempt to intimidate them muzzle them Kharge told the Lok Sabha during Zero HourI will give you one example Two days back two senior functionaries of ABP News channel were asked to resign Milind Khandekar who was Managing Editor and who had been working with the channel for 14 years and an anchor they were also working The only mistake was that the anchor sent the reporter to do a reality check of what Modi had said in his Mann ki Baat radio programme Kharge said Another anchor was asked to go on leaveLok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the matter related to a private channel and asked whether he had the facts and figures The treasury members objected to Kharges remarks Kharge said Modi had spoken to a woman who said her income had doubled But when the reporter asked the women said it was wrong and she had been asked by government officials to say so he saidKharge was referring to a news report that quoted the sarpanch from Chhattisgarhs Kanharpuri as saying that Chandramani the woman farmer who interacted with Modi had been tutored by a team from the Agriculture Department from New Delhi Modi had interacted with farmers from different parts of the country on June 20Kharge said intense pressure was exerted on the three people as also the channel In the end the management axed the two employees There was an attempt to silence them Giving a second example of intimidation of a national television channel Kharge said In the Central Hall also a senior MP challenged the media that if you do not go by our thinking we will close your channel and they did itNational TV they got closed for 24 hours the Congress leader said If there is no freedom of speech where can we talk We can only place this before you If you want to close the channel pressurise the press and those who want to write against your thinking it is not a good thing Those who are following such ideology it is wrong Those who are acting against the Constitution it is wrong The attempt that is being made to curb fundamental rights this should not happen he saidRathore dismissed the Congress leaders charge and said We see a trend in the country that when the opposition does not find an issue they hold the government responsible for anything The channel he is referring to its first story on the issue was wrong but the government did not issue a showcause notice The channel runs on Free Dish Prasar Bhartiowned free to air digital direct satellite service Free Dish gets maximum TRP Rathore saidIt is owned by the government and their channel is running on it without any interruption he said If the government wanted to interfere it would have done so on Free Dish The government has nothing to do with it the Minister said Rathore also said the TRP of the channel Kharge was referring to has been falling because people do not want to watch it He is putting the blame on the government This is the what the opposition is trying to do in the countryAlso Read Congress Presses For Privilege Motion Against PM Modi Nirmala Sitharaman On RafaleCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever