AGARTALA, Sep 16 (TIWN): Reacting against Chief Minister Biplab Deb’s remarks on freedom of speech and much existence of democracy in India, Tripura CPI-M State-Secretary Gautam Das said that this is a total lie and failure to accept the real situation existing under BJP rule.

Citing example of various TV channels as “Akash Tripura”, “Channel Dinraat”, Das said if freedom of speech was existing how come these news media shutdowned in Tripura ? He also referred Melarmath promoted the ‘Daily Desher Katha’ newspaper whose circulation has “unofficially” closed even after Press Council of India’s interference.