Undeclared Emergency in Bengal, oppn voices stifled: BJP

Image
Press Trust of India Kolkata
Last Updated : Nov 04 2016 | 10:22 PM IST
Hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her comments on the one-day ban on a TV news channel, state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh accused her of "creating an Emergency-like situation" in the state where the "opposition voices are brutally stifled".
He, however, said his party stood for the freedom of press, but the news channels needed to act in a "responsible manner" at times of crisis.
"The chief minister is talking about an Emergency-like situation. But, my question is, has the law and order situation failed in the country? It has completely failed in Bengal. Communal riots are taking place. In Bengal, there is an undeclared Emergency where the opposition voices are brutally stifled," Ghosh said.
His comments came in the backdrop of Banerjee's statement earlier in the day where she called the ban on NDTV India "shocking".
"The NDTV ban is shocking. If the government had issues with the Pathankot coverage, there are provisions available. But, a ban shows an Emergency-like attitude," she had said in a statement.
Reacting to the one-day ban on the news channel, Ghosh said, "I don't know what actually has happened. We are in favour of a free press. But, at times, the news channels do need to act in a responsible way as national interest is above everything else.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Nov 04 2016 | 10:22 PM IST

Next Story