Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has called for an immediate stop to interference with independent journalism and press freedom.   

Speaking at the 11th annual general meeting of Buddha Community Television organised in Butwal on Saturday, the NC chief said one should not interfere with the independent press as it is the medium to institutionalise democracy. He asserted that NC firmly stands against any attempts to muzzle press freedom. “One can open a media outlet if they need media in their favour. But interference with an independently run media should be stopped,” he said.

The former prime minister question the alleged instruction of the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Rupandehi Narayan Pandey on the community television to stop its annual general meeting scheduled for Saturday.

Denouncing the act, Deuba urged the CDO not to work in favour of any party and interfere with the free press. He also suggested the community television established in Buddha’s birth place to work in favour of Buddha’s philosophy and peace.  

Ninety-eight shareholders of the community television had lodged a complaint at the local administration demanding a cancellation of its annual general meeting, claiming that they had been deprived of voting rights. Acting on the complaint, CDO Pandey instructed the television station to stop its annual general meeting and anniversary.