DECEMBER 26, 2010 Lawmaker Pramod Prasad Gupta of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D), a Madhesh Based regional party of Nepal on Thursday warned of physical action against journalists covering news about the split off of the party. Naming journalists belonging to various media houses, Gupta alleged that journalists were acting against ´Madhes. MPRF-D is the party formed after split off of Madheshi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) last year.
Sanjay Shah, state minister from MPRF-D had announced the formation of new party Madhesh Kranti Forum (MKF) last week further splitting off of MPRF-D. Most of the main stream Medias had covered that news. Making this the issue, Lawmaker Gupta threatened the journalists of physical attack pointing on the journalist who had reached the office of parliamentary party of MPRF-D to cover the news of party meeting at Singha Darbar, Kathmandu on 23 december 2010.
Prior to this, lawmaker Gupta had warned journalists of several conquencies for covering the news of some lawmaker's plan to cross the floor during a prime ministerial voting in the parliament two months back.
Freedom Forum shows its serious concern over this issue. Involvement of respected personality, the law maker on the act of press freedom violation is even serious. We call upon the MPRF-D and Nepal government to take immediate action on lawmaker Gupta and request all the concerned parties to show the respect to the media freedom.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022