On Independence Day Doordarshan refused to broadcast Manik Sarkar’s speech alleging CPI-M 

New Delhi, August 16: The Communist Party of India-Marxist today alleged that Doordarshan refused to broadcast Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar’s speech and said it would fight this ‘undeclared Emergency’.

CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury said Doordarshan was ‘not the private property’ of the Bharatiya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ‘instructing his cronies to black out voices’ of the Opposition, including that of an elected chief minister.

There was no immediate reaction from the Prasar Bharati, which runs Doordarshan and All India Radio.

‘Doordarshan refuses to broadcast Tripura CM Manik Sarkar’s speech. Is this the Cooperative Federalism that PM Modi talks about? Shame!’ the CPI-M’s official Twitter handle said, without mentioning the speech of the prime minister but believed to be his Independence Day address.

Doordarshan Refuses to Broadcast Tripura CM Manik Sarkar’s Speech. Is this the Cooperative Federalism that PM Modi Talks About? Shame! pic.twitter.com/euuhRd18zc

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) August 15, 2017

Tagging the tweet, Yechury hit out at the central government, saying the channel’s alleged refusal to air Sarkar’s speech was ‘illegal’.

‘PM can pay homilies to cooperative federalism while instructing his cronies to black out voices of the Opposition, including an elected CM.

PM can pay homilies to cooperative federalism while instructing his cronies to black out voices of the Opposition, including an elected CM.

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) August 15, 2017

‘If this isn’t authoritarianism & undeclared Emergency, what is? This will be fought back by the CPM, people of Tripura and all our citizens,’ the Marxist leader tweeted.

If this isn’t authoritarianism & undeclared Emergency, what is? This will be fought back by the CPM, people of Tripura and all our citizens.

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) August 15, 2017