Journalists' Misconduct Surface In BDF's Press Meet in Karimganj

In anticipation of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, a press conference was organized yesterday at Raj Hotel, Silchar Road in Karimganj by the Barak Democratic Front (BDF) to engage with the voters of Karimganj Constituency. However, the BDF alleges that some journalists from Karimganj attempted to disrupt the event, they claimed it was pre-planned and sponsored by the BJP.

On Thursday, April 17, the chief spokesperson of the BDF Media Cell, Joydeep Bhattacharya, stated that irrespective of any particular party, they urged the voters of Karimganj constituency to consider supporting a qualified candidate, Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Chowdhury of the Indian National Congress. They believe he is well-suited for Karimganj and would contribute to the prosperity of the entire Barak Valley.

Bhattacharya mentioned that during the press conference, some journalists questioned the choice of location and raised concerns about their ignorance of BJP’s development initiatives in the region. The BDF spokesperson responded by stating that such questioning did not align with journalistic ethics and suggested that the journalists might be affiliated with a particular political party.

Following this exchange, tensions escalated, leading to chaos and aggressive behavior from the journalists present. The BDF claims that the journalists resorted to abusive language and attempted physical aggression, ultimately disrupting the conference. Bhattacharya emphasized that he believes the entire incident was orchestrated under the direction of the Karimganj District BJP.

In response, members of the Karimganj Press Club provided a different account of the events. They stated that during the conference, when the BDF criticized BJP’s development efforts, a journalist questioned this assertion by highlighting visible improvements in infrastructure. The journalist’s inquiry was met with a rude response from a BDF representative, who allegedly labeled the journalist as a “BJP stooge” while banging the table loudly.

The exchange escalated as more journalists expressed their displeasure over the BDF representative’s behavior. They believe that the conversation could have been handled more diplomatically.

The BDF representative defended the behavior by comparing it to parliamentary practices, claiming that table-tapping is common in such settings. However, videos from the event show journalists objecting to the representative’s conduct, highlighting the contentious nature of the interaction.