Nepali News Channel Sealed by Mamata Banerjee Govt For Covering Gorkhaland Agitation

Leaders of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha who are leading the statehood stir, said: "Mamata government is trying to suppress the democratic movement through undemocratic and fascist means."

Updated: July 24, 2017 12:26 AM IST

By Zeeshan Shaikh

Nepali News Channel Sealed by Mamata Banerjee Govt For Covering Gorkhaland Agitation

Kolkata, July 23: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government took a drastic step on Saturday night and sealed the Siliguri-based office of a Nepali language satellite television channel, a move is seen as a crackdown on establishments promoting the public unrest for a separate Gorkhaland state.

According to a report, the cops said that India’s first Nepali TV channel, the ABN News Network, disobeyed a public servant’s order and promoted enmity between groups.

The allegations made by the authorities follow the channel’s coverage of a pro-Gorkhaland rally in which participants carried kukris, the short and curvy Gorkha sword, The Hindustan Times reported. Also Read – BJP jealous of Mamata’s popularity, says Trinamool

The hill station of Darjeeling is on the edge since last one month, after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the government’s decision to make Bengali a mandatory subject in all schools in the state. People are not allowed to carry the traditional weapon in the region.

A majority of people living in the district speak Nepali and they opposed the move, which reignited the movement for a separate state. Earlier in June, the situation deteriorated when three Gorkhaland supporters were killed in police firing in restive Darjeeling.

Mamata Banerjee later clarified that Nepali-speaking students will not have to learn Bengali but at the time clarification was made damage was already done.

The West Bengal government imposed a curfew, banned internet services and deployed additional forces, including the army, to quell the situation. The drastic step against the TV channel is seen as a breach of free speech.

“The channel is registered as satellite television channel with the Union ministry of information and broadcasting,” said Swapnanil Chatterjee, the CEO to HT.

The cops on Saturday night entered the corporate office of the channel along Sevok Road on Saturday night and searched the premises before sealing it. Darjeeling’s BJP MP SS Ahluwalia said he has informed the Union government about the situation.

On the other side leaders of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha who are leading the statehood stir, said: “Mamata government is trying to suppress the democratic movement through undemocratic and fascist means.”

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