I-T searches at Bharat Samachar: Channel says punished for exhibiting Covid mismanagement ‘truth’, Opp recollects Emergency

Following the Income Tax Department’s searches on the Lucknow workplace of Bharat Samachar channel and houses of its owner-editor and state chief on Thursday for alleged tax evasion, the UP-based information channel claimed that the motion is a results of the channel exhibiting the “truth” of the federal government’s Covid-19 “mismanagement”, other than its reporting on different points.
The I-T motion drew sharp criticism from all opposition events within the state, with former chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav calling the motion “sad” and one that’s “weakening democracy”, whereas BSP chief Mayawati in contrast it to the imposition of Emergency in 1975 by the Congress.
The channel mentioned residences of its proprietor and editor-in-chief Brajesh Misra and state head Virendra Singh, together with its Lucknow workplace, had been “raided”. In a press release, Misra mentioned the channel will proceed to face with fact.
Ajay Kumar Shukla, deputy director, Income Tax (Investigation) Headquarter, Lucknow, refused to touch upon Thursday’s motion. “A media briefing will be done around 48 hours after the searches by the Central Board of Direct Taxes,” he mentioned.
“The channel is being intimidated because of our coverage on several issues. The government is specifically unhappy with our reporting on bodies floating in the Ganga during the Covid-19 second wave, the oxygen crisis, and also the close coverage of the Hathras gangrape case,” a Bharat Samachar reporter, who didn’t wish to be recognized, mentioned.

“This is being done because we have stood by the truth and this action will not intimidate us. We will continue to show truth to the people,” Abhishek Pandey, a Lucknow-based correspondent of the channel, mentioned on air. “Our dealings are clean and hence the I-T team will find nothing.”
Misra had began the information channel in December 2016.
Condemning the I-T division’s motion, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav mentioned, “If someone speaks on behalf of the people and exposes the government, then organisations such as ED [Enforcement Directorate] from Delhi to Lucknow are deployed to intimidate them. Nothing can be more unfortunate than this for a democracy when organisations are trying to muzzle your voice…. This government does not want to listen to a word against it, that is why such action is being taken. This is sad and is weakening democracy.”
BSP chief and former UP CM Mayawati tweeted, “The I-T searches at Dainik Bhaskar Media group and Bharat Samachar channel prima facie seem to be spiteful. Such actions remind us of the Emergency imposed by the Congress in 1975. This is sad and condemnable.”

State Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu mentioned, “The I-T department has become a part of the BJP organisation and its action of raids on Bharat Samachar and Dainik Bhaskar are wrong. The BJP is busy walking over democracy and the Constitution…. This is a murder of democracy…”
Aam Aadmi Party’s state in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh tweeted that the “raids are an attack on the freedom of press”. He posted, “The end of BJP is definite…. This is an attack on democracy’s fourth pillar. The people of UP will teach BJP and [Chief Minister] Adityanath a lesson.”
Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad mentioned the motion is a part of the federal government’s coverage to silence those that present the reality. “The Prime Minister has spoken; in UP, so have the dead bodies. They have come out of water and have told the truth…. The action on Bharat Samachar has been done because they show the truth. This action is vengeful…. ”