India News | Mamata Banerjee Curbing Press Freedom in West Bengal: Anurag Thakur
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday condemned the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal after police took away a television journalist reporting on the violence in Sandeshkhali.
New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday condemned the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal after police took away a television journalist reporting on the violence in Sandeshkhali.
"Instead of taking action against goons misbehaving with women, the West Bengal government is putting curbs on the media and trying to muzzle freedom of the press. This is very unfortunate," Thakur said.
A reporter of the television channel Republic Bangla was taken away by the West Bengal Police while he was reporting on the developments in Sandeshkhali.
Thakur said a state run by a woman chief minister is turning a blind eye to the travails of women in Sandeshkhali.
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Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24-Parganas district has been tense with a large number of women in the locality accusing Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion.
Sheikh has been absconding since January 5 when a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers during a raid at his residence in connection with an alleged ration scam.
Two of Sheikh's aides, who along with others were booked under charges of gang rape and attempt to murder, have been arrested.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)