War of words between Prasar Bharati and Tripura govt over non-airing CM’s speech

Agartala: The war of words between Prasar Bharati and Information department of Tripura over non-airing Chief Minister Manik Sarkar’s customary speech on the occasion of 71st Independence Day continues when leftists launched state wide protest against it. In a late night release, state information directorate charged Prasar Bharati for misleading the people to cover up their misdeed by not airing the recorded speech of Mr Sarkar in Doordarshan and Akashvani as well. “Prasar Bharati is now being trying to mislead the people about their undemocratic and authoritarian stand,” the release said reiterating that like previous years both Akashvani and Doordarshan on Aug 12 recorded Chief Minister’s address, which was supposed to be broadcast on Aug 14 evening but not aired.

Prior to the state government release, head of office of Prasar Bharati Agartala, U K Sahoo denied the allegation of non-airing Chief Minister’s speech on Independence Day and said Mr Sarkar’s speech was aired on Doordarshan for 12 minutes in 29.45 minutes bulletin on Aug 15 last and the same was repeated on the next day. “Not only was the Chief Minister, Independence Day program of various districts of the state given wide publicity in the Regional Bulletin. The allegation of blocking out Tripura Chief Minister on I-Day is incorrect,” Mr Sahoo stated while refuting the allegations against Prasar Bharati. Countering the argument of Mr Sahoo, Tripura government sought clarification over the recorded speech of Manik Sarkar for which Prasar Bharati in writing requested him to ‘reshape’ the speech at the eleventh hour otherwise, it would not air and Chief Minister refused to do it on Aug 14 last.

However, Prasar Bharati officials argued that public broadcaster has to follow certain code and norms for any program and in case of Manik Sarkar’s speech on Independence Day it was not followed properly and it was the discretion of the authority to decide the program and content. “Even then Chief Minister was requested to ‘reshape’ his speech, avoiding certain controversial text, which was not at all fit for airing on Independence Day but he did not do it. This is the reason Doordarshan and Akashvani could not air it. But it doesn’t mean CM was blocked out. His public speech was covered widely,” the officials argued. Meanwhile, CPI(M) Politburo and Tripura State committee demanded a probe into the unusual incident of blocking Chief Minster’s customary speech by Prasar Bharati.

The CPI(M) smells political conspiracy for not airing the speech, as it had exposed the misdeed of Modi government and RSS activities in ruining India’s tradition. The party has organised protest across the state up to the village level against Prasar Bharati and BJP led government at the Centre. The party leaders while addressing gathering vehemently criticised the Prime Minister and alleged that RSS attempted to break the communal fabric of the country to making India for a particular religion.

However, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has also termed the role of Prasar Bharati as “undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant step of the central government” who has been flouting federal structure of India in political consideration and disrespect to constitution. Reiterating his party stand Mr Sarkar said, “A conspiracy is hatched to create a division by trying to transform India into a state believing in a particular religion and spreading message of Gau Raksha. The minority and Dalit communities are being attacked and denied security and the Centre's anti-people policy was affecting peace and tranquility." (UNI)