Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, September 17
The Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar who had launched his campaign for opposition unity, has opposed the decision of the INDIA to ban over a dozen media persons and called the decision as Galat (wrong).
Talking to media persons at Manju Sinha Memorial High School at Bakhtiarpur, Nitish said, “I have not been told about the decision of INDIA to ban certain media persons, but if it has been done, it is wrong.”
Nitish said he favoured total freedom to media and journalists should be allowed to write freely. “As far as I am concerned, I have never put any restriction or control over media. I respect the media, I am not against any media organisation or person,” he added.
Nitish, who had been Chief Minister of Bihar since 2005, said every journalist should be given freedom to write in a free manner. Individual journalists have freedom to write according to their choice and no curb should be imposed.
When asked again about the INDIA decision, Nitish said, “Kahin kuch kisi ne gadbad to kiya hoga, (It appears someone, somewhere might have committed wrong). But, still I do not support the decision.” He alleged due to pressure from the persons in power at the Centre, journalists were not free and even his (Nitish) statements were not given space by the media.
Patna based journalists recall Nitish was never against media and was always available to the media persons. They claimed, as Chief Minister, Nitish meets media persons at all the places without prior engagements.
He inaugurated the new building of the school named after his late wife, Mrs Manju Sinha, who was a teacher in a government school, which has 2,000 girls on its rolls.
