AGARTALA: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar reiterated that his government was committed to ensure free, fair and non-align functioning of all the pillars of democracy, including the media while seeking cooperation from all concerns.
In an interview on Monday Mr Sarkar said some vested quarters were involved in straining the relationship between the media and the government which had taken steps to maintain congenial atmosphere among the democratic institutions.
After Tripura State Rifles (TSR) alleged atrocities on Congress agitators, journalists and civilians on July 10 and unprovoked TSR firing on demonstrators on July 11 where an innocent youth was killed and about hundred injured, Sarkar appeared in media following severe criticism for his silence from different quarters.He, however, stated the state government had ordered magisterial inquiry into the death of a person (25) allegedly by TSR firing and entire episode of July 11.
Meanwhile, the Assembly of Journalists (AJ) had organised sit-in demonstration across the state for protection of the rights of mediapersons and to press for the demand of suspension of Superintendent of Police (West) Aneesh Prasad, officer-in-charge of East Agartala police station Narayan Saha and officer-in-charge of College Tilla police outpost Jahangir Hossain who had assaulted journalists.
A candlelight procession would be organised on July 23 as part of the phased agitation to demand protection for reporters working in Tripura. AJ officials criticised Mr Sarkar and said, ”He neither took any action against the accused police officers nor met the journalists and his silence over the issue appeared significant.”(UNI)