Oppn flays raids on NDTV promoter
parties on Monday rallied together to condemn the search operations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the office and homes of NDTV news channel promoters Prannoy Roy and his wife, Radhika, in connection with an alleged bank fraud.
The government’s assertion that the raid did not stem from political interference did not cut ice with Opposition parties that dubbed the action as an infringement on freedom of the press.
M Venkaiah Naidu, Union information and broadcasting minister, tried to defend the action by pointing out that the law was taking its course. "If somebody does something wrong simply because they belong to the media, you cannot expect the government to keep quiet," he said.
However, TMC leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee, among the first to protest the action, tweeted: “Shocked at the raids on Dr @PrannoyRoyNDTV's house. He is highly respected and reputed. Disturbing trend.”
The CBI searched the residence of Roy in Delhi and three other locations for allegedly causing losses to a private bank, a move termed by NDTV as a "witch-hunt" based on "same old false accusations”.
AAP president and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “We strongly condemn raids on (Prannoy) Roy and NDTV group. It's an attempt to silence independent and anti-establishment voices.”
The Congress, too, came out in support. “Dissent can never be silenced through intimidation. Power to ask questions & demand answers is the greatest gift of Democracy #RightToDissent,” the party tweeted. It also alleged the raids were conducted after a BJP spokesperson misbehaved with an anchor during a programme on beef ban.