Team News Riveting
At a time when scribes were staging agitation against who’s who cannot be thought of, journalists in the tiny state of Tripura had bucked the trend.
Journalists in Tripura wore black badges in protest against chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb’s statement on the media and his alleged attack over the freedom of speech and expression on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on Friday.
The media and the journalists are under attack from the government and the mighty, and powerful. But one or the other factors force the scribes to face humiliation and avoid speaking against the government or the powerful politicians.
Earlier, on September 11, speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the special economic zone (SEZ) at Sabroom, Deb said that he said that some newspapers are trying to confuse people of Tripura and said he would not ‘forgive them’.
“Some newspapers are trying to create confusion among the people, getting over-excited. History will not forgive them, people of Tripura, will not forgive them and I, Biplab Kumar Deb, shall not forgive them. I do whatever I say, history is testimony to that,” Deb said.
The Assembly of Journalist (AOJ) was formed in protest against the threat to the media and later served a 3-day ultimatum to the chief minister to withdraw his statement. However, four days later, Deb said he did not threaten or intent to hurt anyone.
Speaking with reporters at Agartala Press Club (APC), Subal Kumar Dey, chairman of AOJ and APC president said that the role of the media was to work as the mouthpiece of the people and speak for their well being.
The scribes said the chief minister has said that he will not forgive them and history will not forgive the journalists. “We are not criminals and have committed any crime, so he cannot threaten the media persons like this.” They added.
The journalists had approached Governor Ramesh Bais and urged him to intervene in the matter.
