Gogoi ask news channel to clarify remarks

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today asked a city-based news channel to clarify remarks made by its former editor-in-chief that there was pressure from him to resign over the coverage of the molestation of a girl near a pub in Guwahati. “There was no pressure from me on News Live’s management to make former editor-in-chief Atanu Bhuyan resign. News Live management should clarify the matter,” Gogoi told reporters at his chamber in the legislative assembly complex.[caption id=“attachment_383460” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Seeking clarification. PTI[/caption] Bhuyan had resigned from his post on Tuesday alleging interference from the chief minister. News Live had recorded the first visuals of the molestation case, which rocked the state. Later in the day, the management of the channel denied that it was pressurised at any point and said that comments made by Bhuyan during the press conference on 17 July while announcing his resignation were his personal views made in his individual capacity. “The management does not subscribe to any view or comment made by him (Bhuyan) after his resignation where he dragged the name of the chief minister or other external forces apprehending pressure … The management of the channel clarifies that at no point was it pressurised by the chief minister or the government on the GS Road molestation incident and the happenings thereafter, including the resignation of journalist Gaurav Jyoti Neog and the resignation of Atanu Bhuyan as Editor-in-Chief,” Caushiq Bezboruah, chief executive officer of Pride Entertainment Pvt Limited said in a statement in Guwahati. The management already relieved Bhuyan as one of the directors on the board of the company and his resignation as editor-in-chief has also been accepted. Bezboruah said the news channel is an independent organisation and the impression that external forces could interfere with the editorial or management policies is “completely unfounded and baseless”. Gogoi told newsmen that he had met the girl and offered her a government job for her rehabilitation but she expressed interest in starting a beauty parlour. The government would help her in this regard. Regarding the recommendations made by NCW team which met him on Wednesday, Gogoi said the state government had already put most of them in place. The NCW team led by its chairperson Mamata Sharma had demanded strict control over bars, additional police patrolling, fast tracking of cases related to molestation, besides punishment for culprits of the 9 July incident. “No one will be allowed to go scot free and the law would be forcefully applied,” Gogoi said. Regarding lapses by the police, he admitted that there had been some shortcomings and added that he was working to revive the force. “No political interference would be tolerated in the functioning of the police,” he added. PTI