New Delhi, 21 December: Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur on Thursday slammed the Mamata Banerjee government in the Rajya Sabha over the continuous attacks on journalists in West Bengal.
Anurag Thakur said that there are continuous reports of fatal attacks on journalists and violent incidents in West Bengal. The state government of West Bengal should take measures to provide a safe environment for journalists.
Anurag Thakur said this in response to the starred question of Trinamool MP Dola Sen. However, Dola Sen was not present in the House at the time of reply.
Thakur said in the House that today the Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra is underway across country, but West Bengal is the only state where vehicles of the Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra were vandalised. This is clearly a conspiracy to deprive the poor and needy of West Bengal of development. When journalists go to show this, they too face danger to their lives and property.
Reading out a sequential list of attacks on journalists in West Bengal, Anurag Thakur said, “On the day of West Bengal civic elections in October 2015, 20 journalists were beaten up and their mics and cameras were broken in the Salt Lake area. In February 2022, four journalists were beaten up during civic elections in North Dumdum and East Midnapore.
Thakur further told that ten journalists were beaten up in Kolkata and various districts during the process of filing nominations for the 2023 Panchayat elections. June 2013, when they covered the AITC factional feud. During this time, three photojournalists were beaten so badly in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas, that they had to be admitted to the hospital.”
Before answering the question, Anurag Thakur said that the Central Government is committed to protecting every citizen of India. As far as the safety of journalists is concerned, law and order comes under the jurisdiction of the state government. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in 2017, the Home Ministry issued an advisory and directed that it make comprehensive arrangements for the security of journalists.
The Press Council of India has the right to take suo motu cognizance of any violence against journalists anywhere in the country. He requested that all the state governments provide a fear-free environment for the journalists in their respective states.
On Trinamool Congress MP making fun of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar a few days ago, Anurag Thakur said in the House, “This misdeed is embarrassing for the entire country. The entire opposition should have apologised for this.”
