Jaipur BJP MP Ram Charan Bohra on Monday mentioned in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour the discriminatory practice of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot towards Rashtradoot, the oldest daily in the state.
He drew attention of the information and broadcasting minister on how Gehlot was using the state government advertisements to twist the arms of the newspapers and deny ads to those writing against him.
During the government's second anniversary celebration, Bohra said, the CM clearly told reporters that newspapers which published positive reports about his government and did not write anything on its failures would get ads.
Conspiracy by CM Gehlot
Rashtradoot's editor Rajesh Sharma wrote to the Press Council of India (PCI) that it is a conspiracy of the CM to weaken the democracy by putting pressure to publish his views in the newspaper.
Sharma complained that the conspiracy would finish the independent journalism as Rashtradoot has been denied the government ads for not following the CM's diktats.
The PCI constituted an inquiry committee headed by its chairperson Justice Ranjana Desai, which strongly disapproved of the chief minister's attitude. It held that such action hits the print media adversely, Bohra added.
