Action against BBC an attack on freedom of press: Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister says one day there will be no media left in country
Kolkata, February 15: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday termed the Income Tax survey at the BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai as "very unfortunate" and slammed the BJP government for "running a political vendetta". She said action against the broadcaster had affected the freedom of the press.
Banerjee said one day there would be no media left in the country. "It is very unfortunate. The BJP is running the government with a political vendetta. It's not only affecting the freedom of the press, there will be no media left in the country. Media is already controlled by them. I am sorry to say the media cannot raise their voice, their management will just cut their service within 24 hours. This is their controlling power," said Mamata Banerjee.
Comparing the BJP to Hitler, the West Bengal Chief Minister said the BJP's only mandate was a dictatorship, (they were ) more than Hitler. "I am abided by the mandate of the people. Where is their (BJP) mandate? They don't care about the people's mandate. The BJP's only mandate is a dictatorship, (they are) more than Hitler. My sympathy and my support with media and BBC," she said.
She alleged the BJP wanted to capture the judiciary, adding that the judiciary must be neutral as only the judiciary could save this country.
Also Read | Tax survey continues at BBC office for the second day
The income tax (I-T) department on Wednesday continued its survey at the offices of the BBC in Delhi and Mumbai for the second day, sources say. On Tuesday, the I-T department conducted a survey at BBC's offices in Delhi and Mumbai in view of the British public broadcaster's "deliberate non-compliance" with the Transfer Pricing Rules and its vast diversion of profits. Yesterday, the sleuths arrived at the BBC offices located at the national capital's KG Marg and Mumbai's Kalina Santacruz for the survey.