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Manik Sarkar was indeed asked to “reshape” I-Day speech, admits DD protocol officer

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8 years ago

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Manik Sarkar

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Committee of four senior AIR officers discussed the contents of the speech and consulted Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati about its broadcast. The committee and Vempati decided that the speech did not adhere to the Broadcast Code and communication was sent to Sarkar’s office that he should “reshape the content” of his speech, otherwise the “broadcast may not go with its existing content”

Two days after the Prasar Bharati administration triggered a political uproar by deciding to black out Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar’s Independence Day speech, a Doordarshan official who was present during the recording of the address revealed to a national daily that the autonomous body which controls DD and AIR did indeed ask for the speech to be “reshaped”.

The broadcast of Sarkar’s speech, in which he asserts, among other things, that India’s “spirit of secularism is under attack”, was blocked on instructions of the Prasar Bharati administration apparently because it did not maintain the “sanctity and solemnity” of Independence Day.

UK Sahoo, Doordarshan’s protocol officer who was present during the recording of Sarkar’s ‘controversial speech’ spoke to The Indian Express and explained what led to the decision for not broadcasting it.

On the evening of August 14, Doordarshan and All India Radio had recorded Sarkar’s speech. The Indian Express report states that Sahoo was asked by Sarkar to “maintain the quality and content” of his speech, effectively meaning that no part of it should be edited. However, since Sahoo felt that the speech was controversial, he spoke to officials at Doordarshan’s directorate in New Delhi who asked him to send the transcript of the speech to them and AIR officials.

“At the AIR headquarters, a committee of four senior officers pondered on the contents of the speech. AIR Director General Fayyaz Sheheryar consulted Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati on what should be done. The committee and Vempati decided that the speech did not adhere to the Broadcast Code, and told their office in Agartala that the Chief Minister will need to ‘reshape the content’ of his speech, otherwise the ‘broadcast may not go with its existing content’, keeping in view the ‘sanctity and solemnity’ of Independence Day”, the report in the Indian Express says.

Sahoo’s detail of the events that unfolded on the eve of Independence Day corroborate the version that Sarkar’s office had maintained all along. Sarkar’s office had also communicated to the Prasar Bharati officials that he would “not change a word” of his address – another fact that was confirmed by Sanjiv Dosajh, Assistant Director of Programmes (Policy) at AIR, who emailed the broadcaster’s Agartala office about the committee’s decision.

Dosajh insisted that in the past too, CMs have been advised to “modify” some speeches, to which they have agreed but added that Sarkar “was very firm (that) he would not change (his speech).” The AIR official added that the committee had found some instances in Sarkar’s speech which were not “very positive” and were seen as a violation of the AIR broadcast code.

However, a look at the AIR broadcast code shows that Prasar Bharati perhaps erred in its judgement of what the code stipulates since it clearly mentions that “no content should be aired that criticises friendly countries, attacks any religion or community, is obscene or defamatory, incites violence or goes against law and order, amounts to contempt of court, casts aspersions against the integrity of the President or judiciary, or can affect the integrity of the country and criticises any person by name”. None of these criteria seem to be violated in Sarkar’s address which did not attack any individual and actually spoke of the need to preserve the secular ethos of India.

In his address, Sarkar had said: “conspiracies and attempts are under way to create an undesirable complexity and divisions in our society; to invade our national consciousness in the name of religion, caste and community, by inciting passions to convert India into a particular religion country and in the name of protecting the cow”.

Sahoo told The Indian Express that he had emailed Sarkar’s official staff on the evening of August 14 about the committee decision to not broadcast his speech unless it was reshaped to fit the parameters of the broadcast code, but did not receive a response.

Sarkar’s party – the CPI(M) – however, isn’t impressed with the explanation. Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who had shared the full text of Sarkar’s speech on Twitter and blamed “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cronies in the BJP” for censoring the address, said: “Prime Minister or the Chief Ministers have the right to speak. If they have said anything objectionable, they will be questioned in Parliament or in state legislatures. What the Chief Minister would have said in his address, that would have been questioned on the floor of the Tripura Assembly. You (Prasar Bharati) cannot pre-emptively censor him.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

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3 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

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RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

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8 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

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IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

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8 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

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