Bengal: TMC MLA slaps a journalist in Mainaguri for publishing ‘anti-government’ information

Ananta Deb Adhikari, the Trinamool Congress MLA from Mainaguri was booked for allegedly slapping an area journalist in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal on Monday. The journalist named Somnath Chakraborty reportedly drew the ire of the MLA after he revealed a information in regards to the MLA’s criticism of the Zilla Parishad.
The TMC MLA, nonetheless, denied the allegations and responded, “Everyone should read what the journalist had written and tell me whether it would make me angry or not”.
The incident reportedly befell within the Mainaguri space after MLA Ananta Deb Adhikari inaugurated an open gymnasium. Speaking to Republic, Chakraborty instructed that the incident occurred at Jalpesh the place the MLA, in his tackle, mentioned that the organizers of Jalpesh Fair by no means concerned him within the decision-making. When Chakraborty requested this to the organizers they refuted it. “The news was published on Tuesday, at an event, the MLA confronted me for publishing ‘anti-government’ news and slapped me”, alleged Chakraborty. An FIR has been filed by Chakraborty towards Adhikari.
The incident enraged fellow journalists of Siliguri Journalists Club who staged a protest in entrance of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Siliguri on Wednesday.
The protesting journalists raised slogans and placards condemning the alleged assault on Chakraborty who works with Bartman, a Bengali newspaper.
Mainaguri Trinamool MLA Ananta Dev Adhikari allegedly slapped Somnath Chakraborty, a reporter from native every day newspaper Bartaman, when requested a query.During the protest, journalists from the area raised slogans and placards condemning the incident. pic.twitter.com/kzgLXlHJMm— The Darjeeling Chronicle (@TheDarjChron) January 6, 2021
The state BJP posted a tweet condemning the incident and slammed the ruling TMC for it.
প্রতিদিন গণতন্ত্রের চতুর্থস্তম্ভকে মারতে চাইছে পিসি সরকারপিসি, সব অরাজকতার জবাব চাই ! pic.twitter.com/XXbwcX2LBR— BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) January 6, 2021
The celebration mentioned that the persecution of Chakraborty by the hands of Adhikari portrayed a transparent image of TMC’s totalitarian regime and that even journalists weren’t spared from the tyranny of the ruling celebration within the state.