This is indeed a “Real” attack on the freedom of Press. Yes, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal filed an FIR against Sudhir Chaudhary, the business head and senior editor of Zee News. She also filed an FIR against Pooja Mehta, the reporter of Zee News; you will be shocked to know the reason.
Well, the channel covered Dhulagarh Riots, which majority of media channels failed to cover due to their “Selective outrage policy”.
Mamata Government filed an FIR under non-bailable sections; Sudhir Chaudhary clearly stated that this FIR suppressed the freedom of press, just because they went against their wishes.
Mamata Banerjee took this action so that she could black out all the details that happened in the Dhulagarh riots; how far is this right?
Even though everyone is aware that in Dhulagarh there are ongoing riots since over 10 days due to religious clashes between Muslims and Hindus, no proper information about what went wrong is known yet since journalists weren’t allowed. Although both religions reacted violently, a report by Zee News stated that Muslims targeted resident Hindus.
Here’s the Facebook post by Sudhir Chaudhary!
It reads
“Just to inform all of you Mamta Banerjee Govt has filed an FIR against me and ZeeNews reporter Pooja Mehta and cameraperson Tanmay Mukherjee for covering Dhulagarh Riots on Zee News.The FIR has non bailable sections which is enough to gauge their intentions to arrest me and my colleagues. Pooja Mehta is just 25 and got the taste of Mamta’s intolerance so early in life in the form of a non bailable FIR.This is what a young girl reporter getting to learn from a woman chief minister who claims to be the champion of democracy.It’s another low point in our democracy to see a democratically elected govt using police force to curb media in an effort to suppress uncomfortable facts and reality.When you can’t manage media,use the state machinery to conquer the media only to conceal the failures of your administration. It shows the intolerance of a chief minister who is using the state machinery as her personal fiefdom and acting like a feudal lord. I see the positive side of this blunder as a window for all free minds of this nation to act and show fascist forces their actual place. Or once again Selfish Politics will prevail? That’s my fear. #IntolerantMamta”
It’s not yet clear as to why Bengal government has booked them, but a BJP leader shared an FIR copy;
I am told that FIR by Mamata against @sudhirchaudhary has been lodged on behest of #Kejriwal to deter Zee news from exposing their nexus. pic.twitter.com/Xj5ktByYw4
— Satish Upadhyay (मोदी का परिवार ) (@upadhyaysbjp) December 27, 2016
As soon as people came to know about this, they took to Twitter and started reacting; here are their tweets!
Emergency is when!
Emergency is when you get booked for saying the truth! Mamata Govt just cannot hide Dhulagarh behind an FIR against us. #EmergencyInBengal
— रोहित सरदाना (@sardanarohit) December 27, 2016
When Mamta doesn’t spare her PM!
When Mamata doesnt spare the PM of this country..how do you expect her to spare a hard working news reporter#ISupportSudhirSir
— Ravi Pandey (Modi Ka Parivar) (@ravi_pndey) December 27, 2016
I doubt!
Almost evry journo supported NDTV when Modi tried to ban it. I doubt any of them would say #ISupportSudhirSir now due to his notorious past.
— Kumar Keshav (@KineticKeshav) December 27, 2016
Suppressed Freedom of Press!
Mamta Banerjee has declared #EmergencyInBengal by Filing FIR against @sudhirchaudhary and suppressing FREEDOM OF PRESS#ISupportSudhirSir
— Rosy (@rose_k01) December 27, 2016
Mamata has gone crazy!
Since Demonetization Mamata has gone crazy&had lost all her senses,Thts y she is continuously attacking D Nationalist.#ISupportSudhirSir
— Rishi Mishra (@RishiMishra_) December 27, 2016
Undoubtedly he is the best!
We125Cr Indians believe in the ideology&performance of @sudhirchaudhary as a journalist,Undoubtedly he is d best .#ISupportSudhirSir
— Rishi Mishra (@RishiMishra_) December 27, 2016
where are those intellectuals?
https://twitter.com/IntolerantMano2/status/813742309259038720
Visiting Bengal without Visa!
Mamta files FIR under non bailable sections against @sudhirchaudhary there were visiting Bengal without visa it seems.
#ISupportSudhirSir— Amritosh (@AmritoshPandey) December 27, 2016
So what’s your opinion on this guys? Is it valid to attack freedom of press? Do share your views in our comments section below!
