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

CPI(M) accuses AIR and Doordarshan of censorship for deleting critical speech against Assam's BJP-led government ahead of elections.

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.