CPI(M) slams AIR, Doordarshan in Assam for censorship of its speech

GUWAHATI

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has complained to Assam’s Chief Electoral Officer against All India Radio and Doordarshan for deleting large portions of its written speech critical of the anti-people policies of the Bharatiya Janta Party-led government in the State.

Suprakash Talukdar, the Assam State Committee secretary of the CPI(M), said the two broadcast media arms of Prasar Bharati resorted to “brazen censorship” in the name of vetting.

He said that the party, a constituent of the Congress-led Opposition alliance, submitted its written speech to the Guwahati AIR and Doordarshan centres on March 29, fully adhering to the Election Commission of India’s guidelines.

“It contained no prohibited contents like any references to foreign countries, remarks on the President of India, or constitutional authorities like the judiciary. The text of the speech also had no incitement against any communities or divisive content and no objectionable language,” the party’s statement read.

“The speech only criticised the anti-people policies of the BJP-led government in Assam, exposed the corporate-communal nexus, and highlighted the failures of the government in addressing the basic problems the people are confronted with, along with its anti-democratic and authoritarian rule,” it further read.

The CPI(M) said entire sentences and paragraphs were deleted from the speech, distorting the political message intended for voters. “This is nothing but an attempt to silence dissent and shield those in power from criticism,” the party said, condemning such censorship.

It stated that such actions reflect a dangerous authoritarian trend under the present regimes at the Centre and in the State, where public broadcasting platforms are being reduced to instruments of control. “Such interference, especially during elections, is a direct assault on the spirit of democracy,” the party added.

On March 31, State Congress president Gaurav Gogoi wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner, complaining against Barun Purkayastha, the Senior Superintendent of Police of Sonitpur district, for “wilfully failing to protect and act upon brutal assault” on Congress candidate Sunil Kumar Chhetri in the Naduar Assembly constituency. The incident occurred on March 30.