West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar claims censorship after his address denied live coverage

Three days after Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar gave his address at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly kickstarting the budget session, he claimed that he was subjected to censorship after media was not allowed to live telecast his speech.

Dhankhar raised questions on Monday after state finance minister Amit Mitra’s budget speech was allowed to be live telecast by television channels.

Dhankhar took to Twitter and wrote, “This is of critical consequence for media. Is this an acceptable expression of ideas? Is it not intolerance of the constitutional head? Is it not a kind of censorship? I am sure the media and public would not be just silent spectators.”

Dhankhar further claimed that such actions were a violation of Article 176 and were in sharp deviation to the normal practice. “The State Finance Minister Dr Mitra budget speech was live while the address of the Governor under Article 176, an important occasion, in sharp deviation to practice was not allowed live coverage and media was also kept away. Leave to the judgment of the people of the State,” he wrote.

When Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was quizzed on Governor’s remarks of being censored, she said, “Please ask the Speaker. It was his decision.”

The opposition MLAs in the Legislative Assembly had raised questions on speaker’s decision of not allowing media inside the house for the live telecast of the Governor’s speech on February 7 during his address beginning the budget session.