File photo of a person waving the flag of the Communist Party of India (Marxist Party). | Photo credit: PTI
GUWAHATI
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has complained to the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam on All India Radio and Doordarshan for deleting a large part of its written speech critical of the anti-people policies of the Bharatiya Janta Party-led government in the state.
Suprakash Talukdar, secretary of the Assam CPI(M) state committee, said the two broadcast media arms of Prasar Bharati had resorted to “brazen censorship” in the name of vetting.
He said the party, a component of the Congress-led opposition alliance, submitted its written address to Guwahati AIR and Doordarshan on March 29, fully adhering to the Election Commission of India guidelines.
“It did not contain any prohibited content such as any references to foreign countries, remarks about the President of India or constitutional bodies such as the judiciary. The text of the speech also did not contain any incitement against any communities or divisive content and no inappropriate language,” the party said in a statement.
“The speech only criticized the anti-people policies of the BJP-led government in Assam, exposed the corporate-communal nexus and highlighted the failure of the government to address the basic issues faced by the people along with its anti-democratic and authoritarian rule,” it further said.
The CPI(M) said entire sentences and paragraphs were deleted from the speech, distorting the political message meant for voters. “This is nothing more than an attempt to silence dissent and protect those in power from criticism,” the party said, condemning such censorship.
She observed that such actions reflect a dangerous authoritarian trend under the current regimes at the Center and the state, where public broadcasting platforms are being reduced to instruments of control. “Such interference, especially during elections, is a direct attack on the spirit of democracy,” the party added.
On March 31, state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner, complaining against Barun Purkayastha, Superintendent of Police, Sonitpur district, for “willful failure to protect and brutally assaulting Congress candidate Sunil Kumar Chhetri in Naduar Assembly constituency. The incident took place on March 30.”
Published – 02 April 2026 18:00 IST
