CPI(M) up in arms as newspaper body, Tripura government cancel registration of mouthpiece

The CPI(M) has decided to legally challenge the decision of the Tripura government and the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) to cancel the registration of Daily Desher Katha , the party mouthpiece in the State. Addressing a protest rally of various journalists’ organisations in front of the Tripura Bhawan here on Friday, senior CPI(M) leader from the State and former editor of the Daily, Gautam Das, said the CPI(M) will approach the Tripura High Court against the “vindictive action.”

He said the daily had submitted all the relevant papers to the district administration and to the RNI. “We are confident of winning this battle. We submitted all relevant papers, but the authorities decided to cancel the registration as a vindictive action. The BJP wants to suppress freedom of the press in the State,” Das said. The CPI(M) leaders from the State had held discussions with the RNI officers, too, on the issue, he added.

‘Brazen attack’

A resolution adopted at the protest meeting said the Daily Desher Katha was the second largest circulated daily in Tripura and was known for stories exposing the present government. “It had also extensively covered the massive violence spearheaded by Sangh Parivar activists against members and leaders of Opposition parties in the State soon after the Assembly elections,” it said.

The CPI(M) had termed the move as a a brazen attack on the freedom of the press. “The district magistrate of West Tripura has cancelled the registration of the newspaper on flimsy and dubious grounds and consequently the Registrar of Newspapers has also withdrawn the certificate of registration,” the CPI(M)’s Politburo had said in a statement.

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