By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: The SAD-BJP government particularly the SAD president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia for the last many years trying to control media and they go to any extent to gag media if they found journalists are writing or speaking bitter truth about their and their governments misdeeds.
The Badal family forced closure of Day and Night TV channel and didnt allow ABP Sanjha Punjabi cahannel to take off from Punjab. At one point of time Zee Punjab, Haryana was also switched off from cable network for showing some programmes on drugs that named Bikram Singh Majithia. Zee TV however later compromised and became mouth piece oif the SAD-BJP government.
In a fresh case Sukhbir and Bikram have issued instructions not Director Information and Public Relations Punjab to stop advertisements of leading English daily The Tribune one of most popular online news portal of www.punjabnewsexpress.com and few others.
Mr.Harish Khare Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune today reacted to Badal family's dictat of stopping advertisements to Tribune group of newspapers. I agree with Mr. Khare that politcians are never happy with the journalists who want to tell truth to public. He feels all poltical parties have their own reasons to hate media.
Mr.Khare has written "The Akali Dal bosses are very annoyed with us because of our critical comments and reportage of their party and the government. So much so, these bosses, who think that the Government of Punjab is a private estate, have exercised the only ‘power’ they have — a firman has been issued to discontinue advertisements for The Tribune. The Badals, to be fair to them, are not the first to think they can browbeat The Tribune. Many other ‘powerful’ chief ministers have tried this trick and lived long thereafter to regret it".
He further writers, "Then we have the Congress party bosses who are inclined to blame the media for their electoral campaign not taking off. They are not happy that internal bickering in the party gets reported. Some of them are annoyed because of what we say about the Aam Adami Party. This seems to me a bit unfair....And then, there is the AAP crowd and its numerous power centres. The thekedars get annoyed because each and every word they utter does not get reported. Happily, the BJP has outsourced its fortunes and reputation to its coalition partners. We rarely hear from them". Full article of Mr.Khare can be read by clicking the link http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/columns/politicians-never-happy-with-honest-journalism/286435.html)
There are few media houses that have compromised with the ruling Badal family due to business interests or due to weak editotial bosses. Punjabnewsexpress.com has been reporting ground realities about the drug mafia, illegal mining at large scale, nailing lies of Badal family, projecting real picture of poor health and education infrasture in Punjab and raising voice against corruption in the government led by Parkash Singh Badal. We are doing our duty honestly and will continue to do so. But the grudge is about the wastage of public money into advertisements of crores being given to select newspapers, TV channels and online news portals who are bending on knees to appease the political masters.
Peopel of Punjab everyday experience hell created by Badal family in every nich and corner of Punjab. The advertisements cant change the reality. In fact people of state mock the propaganda of developement made by this government. If Badals think they have done development of state then why they are not contesting elections on development agenda only. What is the need to register false criminal cases agaisnt their critics and hatch conspiracies and level false allegations against opposition leaders. The advertisements are not issued to highlight development rather it is a way to oblige certain media houses.
We at punjabnewsexpress.com fully support The Tribune and strongly condemn the action of SAD-BJP government to stop advertisements of The Tribune and Punjab News Express. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal must intervene and save the damage his own son and Son's son-in-law are doing to the party and government. They will not succeed to gag the media.