A circular issued by the office of the chief secretary said the existing conduct rules governing members of the All India Services, West Bengal Civil Service, West Bengal Police Service and other state government employees would be strictly enforced
Kolkata: The BJP government in West Bengal has issued a five-point circular to gag its employees from speaking against it, any other state government and the Centre on any issue in the media. The ban covers the officers of the All India Service, West Bengal Civil Service and West Bengal Police Service and other government employees from autonomous bodies, boards, corporations, undertakings and educational institutions.
The circular, dated May 19 and signed by state chief secretary Manoj Agarwal, states “complete prohibition, except with prior sanction,” on the participation or association of any member of the services in any sponsored or privately produced media program or any media program sponsored by the government of India but produced by an outside agency.
Other “complete prohibitions” without any government order/sanctions are “any direct or indirect communication of any document or information with the press by the members of the services” and “any contribution in editing or managing of any newspaper, periodical or any other publication and on any participation in any radio broadcast or writing of any article or letter for any newspaper or periodical by any member of the services.
The circular also restricts “members of the services in indulging in any adverse
criticism of any policy or decision of the central or the state government, by any publication, interaction, utterance, publication, broadcast, contribution in any media” and “any publication, interaction, utterance, publication, broadcast, contribution in any media, which can lead to straining of the relations of the state government with the central government or any state government's or between central government and government of any foreign states.
Slamming the BJP-rule for the order, Diamond Harbour Trinamul Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee posted on X-handle, “Complete prohibition.” The phrase echoes through this circular like a WARNING - not to protect governance, but to ENFORCE SILENCE upon Govt employees across #Bengal."
He alleged, "No speaking to the press. No writing articles. No participating in media programs. No criticism of the Centre or State government. No expression that may strain relations with Delhi. Under @BJP4India's remote-controlled governance, SILENCE IS NOW AN ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENT."
Mr Banerjee also claimed, "This shocking circular is not about discipline, it is about CURTAILING FREE EXPRESSION and SYSTEMATICALLY CHOKING FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS to ensure absolute obedience to the masters sitting in Delhi. In short: THINK AS YOU ARE TOLD. SPEAK ONLY WHEN PERMITTED. When a government cannot tolerate criticism, it starts crushing dissent. That is not strength - that is STRANGULATION OF DEMOCRACY!"
