December 9, 2020 7:08:59 am
Trinamool Congress (TMC) deputy Mahua Moitra fueled controversy on Tuesday after videos surfaced showing her describing a reporter as “two paisa.” In one video, the deputy from Krishnanagar was seen asking a person to leave the site of a party meeting after introducing himself as a journalist. The incident occurred in the Nadia district on Sunday.
“Who called ‘du poisar’ [two-paisa worth] Press here? Remove these items from the site. Some of our party members invite such people to closed-door meetings to see their faces on television. This is not done, ”he was heard saying in the video.
In a statement, the Kolkata Press Club said it was deeply concerned by the comments and asked Moitra to withdraw them. “In a democratic environment, everyone knows the importance of journalism and the respect it inspires. Journalists who face adverse situations as part of their professional struggle and social responsibility are respected worldwide ”.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Moitra defended her comments. He said the reporter had been invited to the closed-door meeting by a faction of the district unit unhappy with recent organizational changes.
Responding to criticism from the Kolkata Press Club, the deputy said: “The Press Club should provide training, not everyone with a mobile phone can be called ‘journalists’. It was a closed-door meeting and I don’t allow my workers to carry phones. “
Moitra said that TMC leader Bapi Chatterjee was the party chairman in Gayeshpur during last year’s Lok Sabha elections. After the elections, he was replaced by the party leader Mintu Dey. However, political strategist Prashant Kishor, who advises the ruling party, reinstated Chatterjee in office. This enraged the Dey-led faction, he added, labeling Chatterjee an outsider as he is from the neighboring Kalyani area.
On Sunday, Moitra, the TMC district president, called a meeting to resolve the differences between the two parties. “As soon as I went there, they started showing signs that said ‘Outsider president manbo na [We will not accept an outsider as president]’. Mintu was trying to show his strength. At the meeting, Bapi had only invited his people and therefore many of Mintu’s supporters and advisers were not present. I got out of the car about 50 meters from the auditorium door. A fight ensued between Mintu and Bapi’s supporters. I entered the auditorium and saw that only Bapi’s men were present. I called Mintu and asked him to join the meeting, as they are both workers in our party. I was ready to listen to their complaints. When I went out to speak with Mintu and his followers, I saw that these people had closed the folding door and I saw a great gathering outside. By then, Mintu had called some ‘interlocutors’ on mobile phones to get some influence. They started recording my conversation with the workers of my party. It was then that I said to the workers of my party: ‘Why do you call the press from two countries to our meetings behind closed doors?’ Why is everyone so interested in publishing their photographs in newspapers? “
The deputy said after the meeting that she spoke with “real journalists.” “What I said was between myself and my party workers. I did not tell this to reporters. I saw a man standing in the distance recording all this on his mobile, ”he added.
Criticizing the BJP, Moitra said: “They are doing it on purpose. BJP has found a great opportunity. I don’t care about this ‘godi media’. Some news channels are publishing this article with distorted information for their own agenda. “
The MP and State Minister’s party colleague, Rajib Banerjee, criticized her. “She considers herself very polite, such comments from her are unacceptable,” he added.
Journalist Snehasis Sur, who heads the Kolkata Press Club, said: “Everyone can understand what she wanted to convey on Twitter.”
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
.
