Alleging that a section of the media was distorting comments made by her, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said here on Tuesday that she may use legislation related to dissemination of information if such reporting continued.
“The government has been liberal so far, but some [newspapers and television channels] are distorting my words far too often. I cannot interfere in your work, but you cannot interfere in my work either by distorting my words,” Ms. Banerjee said, adding that her government may take recourse to the law in future.
Ms. Banerjee warned the media, saying, “Either show what I have to say in full or do not show it at all.”
Naming a city-based media house, Ms. Banerjee, who was speaking to journalists at the State secretariat, alleged that it was responsible for triggering a disturbance at the Haldia Dock Complex by questioning the “business interests” that may be involved. She warned that media house to stay out of matters of governance.
Since coming to power, the Trinamool Congress-led government has been severely criticised by the media on issues such as crib deaths in State-run hospitals, farmer suicides, intolerance of dissent and most recently, incidents of attacks on women.
In response, Ms. Banerjee has lashed out at the media, claiming that the reports were “exaggerated” and “motivated” by her political rivals.
