activities creating terror against media houses condemnable: Journalist Dhamala
Kathmandu Journalist Rishi Dhamala has said that the activities creating fear, fear and obstruction in the media houses are against the democratic norms and values. In an interview with Nepal News Bank, the former Prime Minister expressed his concern over the attacks on Nepali media and the targeted activities targeting media houses in recent period.
Dhamala strongly condemned the act of creating obstruction and spreading fear by parking vehicles at the gate of the media house. “Such actions raise questions about freedom of expression, democracy and the rule of law,” he said.
He demanded the government to immediately investigate the incidents of vehicles being parked at the gates of Kantipur Media Group, Himalayan Television and Onlinekhabar for a long time.
He said that a high-level judicial probe commission should be formed to find out the truth about the incident and take action against the guilty.
“Attacking any media house or creating obstacles in the name of parking is against democratic norms and values,” he said.
We will always stand for freedom of expression. Stating that different opinions and viewpoints should be accepted in a democracy, he said attempts to create fear, threat and pressure on the basis of news reports by the media would not be acceptable.
Stating that the Rastriya Swatantra Party has also issued a statement on this issue, Dhamala said that the government should take clear steps to stop such activities against media houses.”The Nepali media sector will never compromise to disseminate media without any fear under any circumstances,” he said. He urged the government to immediately stop threatening and intimidating media houses and media persons.
He demanded that even if the government was not involved, an impartial investigation should be conducted and action should be taken against the guilty.
Meanwhile, Dhamala said that the government’s decision to give advertisements only to government media was wrong.
Welcoming the decision of the Supreme Court to annul the decision, he stressed the need of creating an environment of healthy competition.
He thanked the court for its decision in favour of democracy, rule of law and freedom of expression.
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