Journalists in Tripura boycott CM Biplab Deb

Agartala: The Journalists in Kamalpur on Saturday boycotted CM Biplab Kumar Deb alleging that under the BJP rule in the state, attacks on different sections of the media have been rising rapidly.

On November 7, the chief minister had gone to Kamalpur in Dhalai district to attend a programme. However, no journalist covered the event as a mark of protest against the rising attacks on journalists in Tripura.

On the same day, copies of ‘Pratibadi Kalam’ a Bengali newspaper of Agartala were destroyed at Udaipur Rajarbagh motor stand.

Several journalists also went to the police headquarters in Agartala to meet the deputy inspector general, southern range. They said that if the culprits, who had destroyed copies of the newspaper were not arrested within 24 hours, they would start a demonstration in front of the police headquarter.

In a press conference, Subal Kumar Dey, chairman of the Assembly of Journalists declared that if the government would not take proper steps against the hooligans who destroyed the copies of the newspaper then they will start boycotting the CM across the state.

Also Read: Popular Hornbill Festival to be celebrated virtually amid COVID-19 pandemic

Why were 6,000 copies of the newspaper destroyed?

Around 6,000 copies of a newspaper were snatched from passenger buses and destroyed in Tripura's Gomati district by a group of men on Saturday.

Apparently, the editor of the newspaper named ‘Pratibadi kalam’ alleged that the Agriculture Minister and Director are involved in corruption. He also alleged that due to this corruption news, the copies of the newspaper were destroyed today.

Anol Roy Chowdhury, the editor of the daily said that while the newspapers were being transported to different districts in the morning, around 6,000 copies of the newspaper were snatched from buses.

Roy Chowdhury further added that half of them were burnt and others were torn and thrown away.

The editor alleged that 11 people forcefully unloaded the bundles of newspapers from buses and destroyed them.

However, the agriculture department officials refused to make any comment on the issue.

To support our brand of fearless and investigative journalism, support us HERE.

Download:                                                                  

The Inside Northeast app HERE for News, Views, and Reviews from Northeast India.

Do keep following us for news on-the-go. We deliver the Northeast.