I/III. http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/raids-on-prannoy-roy-s-house-attack-on-freedom-of-press-cong-117060501041_1.html
Raids on Prannoy Roy's house attack on freedom of press: Cong Press Trust of India | New Delhi/Mumbai June 5, 2017 Last Updated at 20:22 IST The Congress today condemned the CBI raids on NDTV founder Prannoy Roy and termed it as an attack on the freedom of the press. Criticising the NDA government for its "pick and choose" policy while taking on the media houses, the opposition party said it is "an attempt to create an atmosphere of terror and muzzle the voice" of the fourth estate. Senior Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said the Congress strongly condemns the action and warns the Central government that it should not try to hound the media. "It is a strong attack on the freedom of the press and the Congress party strongly condemns it. We warn the central government that it should not try to hound and threaten the media," he said. "We are standing with the media. If the need arises, we will use democratic means to oppose this action," he said, adding that the prime minister has used derogatory words like "bazaaru" and a Union minister had branded the media as "presstitutes". Maken also questioned the timing of the raids as it happened two days after a NDTV journalist's spat with a BJP leader on a TV debate on the beef ban notification. Another senior Congress leader Anand Sharma criticised the Centre over the CBI raids, saying it was "blatant abuse of power taking place in the country". "Centralisation of decision-making is happening at the Centre. The media and the other voices of dissent are being muzzled. A warning is being sent to the media outlets to fall in line or face a similar fate," Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha told reporters in Mumbai. "The government machinery is being misused and an environment of fear is being created through the (investigation) agencies," Sharma alleged. Maken said till the time NDTV was playing into the hands of the government everything was fine and cited several incidents in this regard, including the channel not airing the interview of former finance minister P Chidambaram. The Delhi Congress chief and former Union minister said NDTV has done several reports against the UPA government but it never used such a policy to hound it. Both Maken and Sharma said many BJP chief ministers and other ministers have serious allegations against them but asked why was no inquiry or action initiated against them. "When somebody questions them, they become anti- nationals. We never did this when we were in power. Those who had no contribution towards India's freedom have no right to preach nationalism," Sharma said. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today raided the residence of Roy, the founder of NDTV, in New Delhi and three other locations in connection with losses allegedly caused by the journalist to a private bank. NDTV called it a "witch-hunt" based on the "same old false accusations". The CBI has registered a case against Roy, his wife Radhika and RRPR Holdings Pvt Ltd for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 48 crore to ICICI Bank, sources in the probe agency told PTI. They said the CBI was conducting searches at two places in the national capital and one each in Dehradun and Mussoorie in connection with the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) II/III. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/opposition-flays-raids-on-ndtv-promoter-prannoy-roy-govt-says-law-taking-its-course/story-vyir69voikyzxikcymshgj.html Oppn flays raids on NDTV promoter Prannoy Roy, govt says law taking its course Congress’ Randeep S Surjewala, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal criticised the central government for “silencing dissent through intimidation”. Updated: Jun 05, 2017 23:43 IST Hindustan Times, New Delhi West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the Centre for the CBI raids on NDTV promoter Prannoy Roy. The Opposition parties came together on Monday to condemn the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) raids at the office and homes of NDTV news channel founder Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika in connection with an alleged bank fraud. The government’s claim that the raids did not stem from any political interference did not cut ice with the Opposition, which dubbed the search operations as an infringement on the freedom of press. Union information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu tried to defend the action by pointing out that the law was taking its course. “If somebody does something wrong, then you cannot expect the government to keep quiet simply because they belong to media,” Naidu said. The Opposition, however, remained unimpressed with the government’s attempted justification. Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee was among the first to protest the CBI action. “Shocked at the raids on Dr @PrannoyRoyNDTV’s house. He is highly respected and reputed. Disturbing trend,” she tweeted. Follow Randeep S Surjewala ✔ @rssurjewala Mr. Prime Minister, 'Dissent' will never die, 'Opinion' will remain sacrosanct, 'Autocracy' won't defeat democracy & 'Truth' shall prevail. https://twitter.com/ndtv/status/871603990668038145 … 12:28 PM - 5 Jun 2017 492 492 Retweets 703 703 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy The CBI searched the Roy’s residence in Delhi and three other locations for allegedly causing losses to a private bank. Coming to the channel’s defence, AAP chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Keijriwal said the move was an attempt to “silence anti-establishment voices”. The Congress too condemned the action, and warned the government to “stop this vindictiveness” and “refrain from suppressing” the voice of the media. Follow Arvind Kejriwal ✔ @ArvindKejriwal We strongly condemn raids on Dr Roy n NDTV group. Its an attempt to silence independent and anti-establishment voices 1:53 PM - 5 Jun 2017 3,680 3,680 Retweets 6,306 6,306 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy “The timing is very important. The raids came two days after NDTV had a discussion on beef ban notification, in which BJP spokesperson tried to misbehave with the anchor,” party spokesperson Ajay Maken said. “If this is not vindictiveness, what is it then?” he asked. Maken insisted that during the UPA rule, NDTV had spoken out against the Congress and its leaders, but their government never resorted to any vindictive tactics. However, he claimed that “there was no action against the channel till the time it played into the government’s hands. Former finance minister P Chidambaram’s interview was dropped despite being advertised, BJP was showing forming the government in Bihar till 11 am and Congress was predicted to lose in Punjab.” III. http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/editors-guild-of-india-statement-on-cbi-raids-on-ndtv-1708223 Editors Guild Of India Statement On CBI Raids On NDTV All India | Editors Guild Press Release | Updated: June 05, 2017 22:01 IST 5 June 2017 EDITORS GUILD OF INDIA PRESS RELEASE The Editors Guild of India expresses its deep concern over the raids conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the offices of NDTV and its promoters today. Entry of police and other agencies into the media offices is a serious matter. NDTV, in various statements, has denied any wrong doing and termed the raids as "stepping up the concerted harassment" of the news channel and an attempt to "undermine democracy and free speech" and "silence the media." While the Editors Guild maintains that no individual or institution is above the law, the Guild condemns any attempt to muzzle the media and calls upon the CBI to follow the due process of law and ensure there is no interference in the free functioning of news operations. Raj Chengappa, President Prakash Dube, General Secretary Kalyani Shankar, Treasurer -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
