Union Government Directs Assam to Take Action Against Media Persons Who Had Opposed Citizenship Bill, Govt. Denies

Wepen, April 19, 2019: The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the Assam Government to initiate action against three editors, a journalist and a TV channel for allegedly propagating militant ideology. This comes on the heels of a right-wing organization lodging complaints against them. The media persons have been proactive against the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 (CAB.)

The letter by the North East Division of the MHA is addressed Ashutosh Agnihotri, Assam Commissioner and Secretary (Home and Political) has asked that “necessary action” be initiated based on a complaint by Vinay Joshi of the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO,) a Maharashtra based organization reported Indian Express.

The letter dated April 16 and signed by Sanjeev Kumar, Under Secretary, MHA has also been sent to Kuladhar Saikia, Director General of Police, Assam.

The complaint lodged by Joshi names chief editors Nitumoni Saikia of Pratidin Time and Ajit Kumar Bhuyan of Prag News;  Afrida Hussain, editor of InsideNE, a news portal along with the television channel “News 18- Assamese TV.”Activist Manjit Mahanta who earlier was associated with Asomia newspaper Pratidin is also named.

Mahanta was charged for sedition in January along with others for allegedly making secessionist comments from a rally against the CAB in Guwahati.

“Since the Issue of Citizen Amendment Bill 2016 started creating waves in North East India, many media houses based in Assam started exploiting the situation for their own benefit. Defunct militant group ULFA has launched fresh recruitment drive in Assam by using media created unrest….Aforesaid people and their electronic, digital and print media outlets are directly broadcasting videos and propaganda material of newly inducted militants in battle fatigue to propagate militant ideology and to give fresh boost to ULFA and other militant groups” alleged Joshi in the complaint.

The complaint further stated that if the government continued to ignore their “blatant, violent propaganda” new militants will be created in Assam and the situation could worsen during Lok Sabha elections.

The complaint claimed that in the recent past the media persons and houses mentioned have openly propagated the need to take up arms against the Union Government. They have been broadcasting propaganda videos of ULFA cadres along with interviews of the underground ULFA Chief claimed Joshi’s complaint.

Agnihotri claimed that he is yet to receive the MHA letter.

The persons named in the complaints have called it a brazen attack on the freedom of speech and freedom of press.

“I am not prepared to take dictation from them. Did we tell people to join ULFA? It is an attempt to gag the press” stated Ajit Bhuyan.

The Union Government however has denied of any such directive. “This is absolutely baseless and a mischievous interpretation of facts. This is to clarify that the Union home ministry has not asked the government of Assam to initiate any enquiry against any editor or member of the press/media,” a statement from the ministry said.