(Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is called Didi; therefore, the media kowtowing to her was called Didi’s media by Ranganathan)
(Photo Credits: OpIndia)
Kolkata – Dr Anand Ranganathan, a Scientist and Scholar, was invited for a debate sponsored by ‘The Telegraph’, a news agency in the city. He took the opportunity to take ‘The Telegraph’ and other media to task by expressing his forthright views and called them ‘Didi’s media’. He said that ‘The Telegraph’ and other media keep writing against the Modi Government at the centre, but it has become a habit for them to overlook serious mistakes of Mamata Banerjee’s Government in Bengal. The sponsors of the debate tried to stop Dr Ranganathan from presenting his views. He, however, asked the audience if he could speak for 30 seconds more, and the audience spontaneously and positively reciprocated. Dr Ranganathan said that without discussing Didi’s media, the topic would be incomplete when the audience clapped in appreciation. Dr Ranganathan openly criticised ‘The Telegraph’ by accusing that they organised the debate to warn the journalists to keep quiet on all the issues and avoid commenting.
Dr Ranganathan added,
The media has learnt the art of keeping mum on every improper news associated with the State Government or trying to suppress such news by publishing it on the 20th page of the newspaper in some corner. A professor was slapped in Bengal for publishing a caricature against the State Government and later he was arrested. A journalist was picked up in the middle of the night and put behind bars. The candidates of opposition parties were stopped from contesting the elections for 20,000 Panchayat posts by resorting to murder, arson and looting.
People have seen Trinamool Congress (TMC) members fiddling with ballot boxes. High Court says that in 60% of cases of violence that erupted in Bengal post-elections, there was no reporting. Judges avoid conducting hearings of the cases as they are scared of receiving threats. Rs 40 crore were seized from the TMC associates’ homes.
Editorial Perspective
Congratulations to Dr Ranganathan for taking the media to task by expressing his forthright opinion ! |