Tripura CM Biplab Deb's comment on Arnab Goswami backfires
Agartala: Along with all other BJP leaders, Tripura's CM, Biplab Kumar Deb too had tweeted condemning the arrest of Arnab Goswami. But little did he know that it would completely boomerang.
Chief Minister Deb had tweeted, "Blatant misuse of state power against Arnab Goswami is a direct attack on free speech and democracy. It gives us reminiscence of the Emergency by Congress and its allies. This must be condemned in the loudest voice."
Terming it a 'blatant misuse of state power', the Tripura Chief Minister said that the arrest reminded him of the Emergency imposed in 1975.
Journalists of Tripura did not let go of the opportunity. They lapped it up. They launched an attack on CM Deb for his recent aggressive behavior and threats made to journalists of the state.
CM Deb was definitely not expecting such a reaction from the journalist fraternity of Tripura.
The journalists' organizations of Agartala charged Deb with trying to muzzle the media of his state. The journalists commented that Deb had openly warned media in a public function on September 11, as a result of which as many as nine working journalists were attacked in Tripura.
Deb had accused a section of media of being over-enthusiastic and had threatened them: "History shall not forgive them, and people of Tripura will not forgive them. I will not forgive them. History stands witness to the fact that I Biplab Deb, do what I say," Deb had said.
No arrests or no action was taken regarding the cases of attack on journalists in Tripura.
The members of the Assembly of Journalists (AoJ), had staged a protest demanding the withdrawal of the "derogatory statements" of the chief minister.