The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee has strongly condemned the circular issued by the Aam Aadmi Party Government in Delhi to curb the freedom of press,

NEW DELHI, May 11—The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee has strongly condemned the circular issued by the Aam Aadmi Party Government in Delhi to curb the freedom of press, which was against the democratic traditions of the freedom of expression. “It is an authoritarian act. We strongly condem it”, said DPCC chief spokesperson Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee.
“The despotic circular issued by the AAP Government goes against the democratic principles of freedom of expression as envisaged in our Constitution. Free media is an important pillar of democracy. It acts as an interface between the public, govt and political parties”, Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee said at a press conference at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan, here today.She said DPCC president Shri Ajay Maken has written a letter to the Lt. Governor to register the Congress party’s strong protest to the AAP Government’s draconian circular, and requesting the LG to intervene in the matter. (A copy of the letter is being enclosed).
In his letter to the Lt. Governor, Shri Maken said “the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression guaranteed under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution of India empowers the electors to assess and criticize the shortcomings and inefficiency if we politicians don’t perform after being voted to power. The Aam Aadmi Party itself has been a major critic of many other political parties and their leaders”. Shri Maken said the AAP Government circular was an assault on this democratic right and an attempt to “hush difference of opinion and transparency”.
Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee said AAP Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, first by asking for public trial of the media, was now trying to brow beat them with the threat of prosecution which was an attempt “not only to gag the voice of free expression but also trying to usher-in an era of mob rule and “This is virtual censorship and is not expected and acceptable in free and Independent India. In fact the circular is a reminder of draconian acts like the Vernacular Press Acts 1878, Indian Press Act 1910, Indian Press Act 1931. The only difference is that these acts were in operation during the colonial rule, but we are now living in the 21st century”, she added.
Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee said it was surprising that Kejriwal, an out an out product of media projection when he indulged in the politics of agitations and allegations, had himself made wild allegations against other political parties and individual leaders. “It is ironic that while Kejriwal himself is facing a number of defamation cases, he now wants to gag the media even for rightly reporting anything that may be perceived as spoiling the “reputation” of the Chief Minister and his She said it was a gross indulgence to waste tax payer’s money on such personal whims and fancies of Kejriwal. For, if the media is prosecuted, who is going to pay for the cost? “Why should the tax payers’ money be wasted for upholding the “reputation” of the Chief Minister?”, she wondered. She said the DPCC will not be silent spectators if the AAP Government in Delhi adopts such authoritarian attitude, as tomorrow, the Government can curb individual freedom and put curbs on the social media. She said the AAP has gone back on its poll promises, and compromised its core values and internal democracy. She said Kejriwal’s stance was not only contradictory, but amounts to “extreme opportunism”. “This is a completely dictatorial attitude by the Kejriwal Government”, she Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee said the DPCC communication department has set up an Urdu cell for better coordination with the Urdu media. It will be headed by Ms. Ishrat Jahan, Congress councilor from Ghondli ward, East Delhi, and Shri AaleyMohd Iqbal, the shadow department head of
The Chief Reporter, Pramod Kumar
…………………New Delhi. Office Secretary
Subject: In Ref to GNCTD Circular dated 06.05.2015 – F.No. 36/1/Policy/2015/286-92 (GNCTD Circular on There is no doubt that scrutiny of those in public life is one of the surest means to a clean and public oriented administration. Real time review of the party in power is the democratic right of the citizens/ electors. The Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India empowers the electors to asses and criticise the shortcomings and inefficiency if we politicians don’t perform after being voted to power. The Aam Aadmi Party itself has been a major critic of many other political parties The GNCTD circular dated 06.05.2015 is an assault on this democratic right and attempt to hush difference of opinion and transparency. As per the circular, the state government itself will sit in judgement to give a go ahead for instituting defamatory proceedings on behalf of its ministers/ officers, it is needless to mention that individuals and media persons will be victimized in this process.
Your attention is also drawn to the fact that this circular has hit the public domain not by an official release by
the Government or through an RTI, the same seems to have been leaked by the GNCTD to create a havoc and silence the public opinion. It is also ironic for the fact that Shri Arvind Kejriwal who has challenged the constitutional validity of the criminal defamation in the Supreme Court of India, is now directing his government to shield itself by using the same I humbly request the Hon’ble LG to uphold the Constitutional Right of Speech & Expression and immediately order the roll-back of this circular.