TOI and 4 other dailies added to library list after rethink by West Bengal

KOLKATA: The Mamata Banerjee governmentdid a rethink on Thursday and came out with a second list of newspapers to be kept in state-sponsored libraries. 

The Times of India is the only English newspaperin the supplementary list, followed by Bengali newspapers Aajkaal and Saptahik Kolom, Nepali newspaper Himalaya Darpan and a Santhali newspaper. They were added to the existing list of eight newspapers notified on Wednesday - Sangbad Pratidin, Sakalbela, Khabar 365 Din, Ekdin, Dainik Statesman, Sanmarg, Akhbar-E-Mashriq and Azad Hind. However, there is still no mention of some of the leading vernacular and English dailies. 

State minister of mass education extension & library services Abdul Karim Chowdhury said that a departmental decision was taken during the day to include five more names and the order will get the stamp of approval from chief minister Mamata Banerjee. However, sources at Writers' Buildings said that the new inclusions already have the CM's nod. 

Rumour about TOI's inclusion in the library list was doing the rounds since Wednesday night, after Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien tweeted: "I understand that an English daily (TOI) is in the list of public libraries which has papers of many languages..." On Thursday, Derek again tweeted: "TOI will be stocked even though they got this wrong." However, Chowdhury had said nothing about the government's new plan on Wednesday after his meeting with the CM. 

Chowdhury later explained that the reason the first eight newspapers were chosen was that they are "small and not financially well-off". He said that the other newspapers were widely read, and that's why these were not in the newspaper list. 

About the afterthought that made the government include TOI, Chowdhury said, "In rural areas, language is a problem. So we had not included any English newspaper. However, later many pointed out that there is a demand for English newspapers, so we included TOI." Asked why he had chosen TOI and not the other English language dailies, Chowdhury snubbed the journalists: "What is the problem if we choose TOI?" 

Mamata in a TV interview later said that a section of the media was playing up a "small issue". "It's a small circular from a small department. Why are you all after it? The government is run by the public and not by the media. Do you ask us when you all recruit people for your offices?" the CM said, pointing out that Trinamool mouthpiece Jago Bangla is not on the list. 

Opposition legislators staged a walkout from the assembly for the second consecutive day after Speaker Biman Banerjee disallowed an adjournment motion on the issue. 

Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra said: "After coming to power, this government has shown utter disregard for all democratic norms. Whenever we seek any discussion (in assembly) we are not allowed. This never happened during the emergency." 

CPM MLA Anisur Rehman, who had proposed the motion, said: "It is good to see civil society members and intellectuals speaking up against this government decision." A Left Front delegation led by Mishra met Governor M K Narayanan on the issue. 

Advocate Bansori Roychowdhury has filed a PIL against the March 14 order, calling it unconstitutional and undemocratic. The PIL is likely to be heard on Friday.