Agartala, Sep 12 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Debs comment against "some over excited newspapers" which are allegedly creating confusion about the COVID-19 situation in the state, went viral on social media prompting journalists to say that the state is trying to reduce the media to its slave.

Deb, while laying the foundation stone for the first special economic zone at Sabroom in South Tripura district on Friday, had said that some newspapers are trying to confuse the people of the state about its COVID-19 situation and that he will "not forgive" them.

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Some newspapers are trying to confuse people, getting over excited ... History will not forgive them, people of Tripura will not forgive them and I, Biplab Deb will not forgive them. I do whatever I say, history is testimony to that, Deb said. Reacting to Deb's statement, Forum for Protection of Media and Journalists, a Tripura-based media rights organisation, Saturday said scribes are feeling insecure and afraid after the chief minister's comments.

Forum president Subal Kumar Dey said differences between the government and journalists are not unusual and in the past many such problems were solved through negotiations. "But the situation now is slowly going out of hand.

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The state is trying to reduce the media to its slave. Government orders are issued to choke the journalist's voices. They are officially defamed on social media and the chief ministers office (CMO) is involved in it," he said.

Dey, who is also the president of Agartala Press Club, said the ruling BJP and the government are issuing regular threats to media organizations through press conferences.

Referring to Deb's comment, he said "The Tripura CMs threat to the media organizations at a public gathering is a matter of fear. We werent so afraid even during the Emergency. A meeting of journalists is scheduled to be held at 12 noon on Sunday to deliberate on the issue, Dey said.

Deb's media advisor Sanjoy Kumar Mishra said that Deb's comments were taken out of context and used to distort his speech and intention.

Our government is committed to the freedom of the press. We have always tried to help the media, but a few local newspapers are trying to work with some agenda and thats not right, Mishra added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)