The Agartala unit of the Doordarshan refuted Tripura Chief Minister's Office claim that CM Manik Sarkar's speech was blacked out on Independence Day. In a letter addressed to the media, U K Sahoo, head of the Doordarshan Kendra in Agartala, said his news unit gave wide coverage to the chief minister's speech. "On August 15, 2017, Doordarshan also gave wide coverage to the Chief Minister's Independence day programme and telecast report running to 29 minutes and 45 seconds. Out of which the Hon'ble Chief Minister's speech coverage was for 12 minutes. This was telecast at 1900 hours (SIC)," the letter read. Sahoo said that a repeat telecast of the programme will air at 4.45 pm on Wednesday. The Chief Minsiter's speech and the Independence Day programme were publicised in its regional news bulletins in various districts of Tripura, Sahoo claimed. "Therefore, the allegation that Doordarshan Kenra, Agartala blacked out the Chief Minister on Independence day is totally incorrect and is vehemently refuted," Sahoo wrote in the letter. READ | Doordarshan, AIR blacked out my Independence Day speech, told me reshape it: Tripura CM Manik Sarkar On Tuesday, the Tripura government alleged that the chief minister's office was informed via letter that his speech would not be telecast unless he “reshaped it”. The letter purportedly said, “The message of the Chief Minister was closely examined by competent authority. In view of the sanctity of the occasion, the broadcast code and responsibility of the public broadcaster it is not possible to telecast it in the present format.” “However, Doordarshan/Prasar Bharati will be happy if the Chief Minister agrees to reshape the content making it suitable to the solemnity of the occasion and sentiment of the people,” it said. A PTI report from Agartala quoted a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office: “The Chief Minister clearly stated that he would not change a single word and described it as unprecedented, undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant step.” CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted “Doordarshan is not the private property of the BJP or the RSS. Its refusal to broadcast Tripura CM’s speech is undemocratic and illegal.”
