Kolkata: The media was at the receiving end of abuse and violence all through Saturday during the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls, as those resorting to unethical electoral practices targeted members of the fourth estate to keep their crimes under wraps.
Trinamool Congress councillor Ranjit Seal, who is seeking re-election from a ward in Khidirpore, was heard threatening electronic media personnel if they did not ship out from near a booth.
“So long I have spoken to you politely. But now go away. Otherwise consequences will not be good,” he said.
Camera persons of two news channels were beaten up and their equipment damaged by youths owing allegiance to a political party when they went near a polling station after receiving allegations of booth capturing.
In the southern outskirts of Jadavpur, mediapersons were prevented from going to the booths by political party activists, despite having valid identity cards given by the state election commission.
A journalist and a photojournalist of a national daily were stopped allegedly by Trinamool cadres when they tried to enter a polling poll in Garfa area of south Kolkata.
They were told to “go away” or to “face the consequence” and that the “reporters are not allowed to go close to polling stations”.
Two bicycle-borne youths were captured on television footage of issuing a stern warning to mediapersons not to “go to troubled spots”.
When mediapersons told Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee of the incidents, he said with a plain face: “That is your perception. I have moved around the entire city. I have not seen any terror.”