Chennai: Opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday accused TVK govt of blacking out assembly proceedings. In a letter to Speaker J C D Prabhakar, he accused TVK govt of selectively releasing edited videos featuring only its own ministers. “Debates on governor’s address were not telecast live. Instead, only videos favourable to the ruling party were edited and released later,” he added.Udhayanidhi said govt had failed to honour chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s promise to continue the live telecast “on the very day minister Rajmohan hailed the resumption of assembly live-streaming as a symbol of transparency and democracy”.He said that discussions on the resolution opposing the proposed Mekedatu dam were streamed live on Friday, but the feed was cut immediately after that. “The governor’s address debate was completely blacked out.” Alleging discrimination, he said, “Opposition members’ speeches were completely suppressed and only videos desired by the ruling party were published.”Questioning TVK’s poll plank, the former deputy CM asked, “Is silencing the voices of legislators the change they promised people during the election?”He also accused govt of curbing media access to assembly proceedings. “Refusing to provide information to the media and insisting that only govt-approved content be broadcast are fascist tendencies,” he said.Seeking the Speaker’s intervention, Udhayanidhi urged him to restore live telecasts before Monday’s proceedings, when opposition leaders are scheduled to participate in the debate. “If assembly proceedings are not shown to the people, the very purpose of convening the house is defeated,” he said.
