The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has strongly criticized three TV channels, branding them “anti-Bengali.” The channels—ABP Ananda, TV-9 Bharatvarsh, and Republic—broadcast in both Bengali and Hindi. TMC took this stance following intense backlash over the brutal murder of a 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College.
In response, TMC decided to stop sending its spokespersons to debates on these channels. The party claimed that Bengalis consistently reject anti-Bengali rhetoric and choose truth over propaganda.
The controversy grew during a TV debate on ABP Ananda. TMC leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar clashed with BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul. Dastidar labeled Paul, a renowned fashion designer, as a “shadi maker.” Paul defended her profession and accused the Mamata Banerjee government of protecting criminals and neglecting women’s issues.
The situation escalated further when Dastidar claimed that during the CPM era, medical students in West Bengal were bullied into passing. This comment triggered strong criticism from women doctors, prompting Dastidar to issue an apology. She later posted on X, stating, “My focus has always been and will remain on the welfare and rights of women.”
TMC’s decision to boycott these channels intensifies its ongoing conflict with the media over the portrayal of events in West Bengal.