BJP corporator objects to BMC PRO’s alleged threat to editor

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) house witnessed heated exchanges among corporators on Friday after BJP’s Priti Satam raised an objection against BMC public relations officer (PRO) Tanaji Kamble, alleging that he threatened an editor against publishing news critical of a certain civic department and warned that advertisements to the newspaper would stop if such reports continued

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) house witnessed heated exchanges among corporators on Friday after BJP’s Priti Satam raised an objection against BMC public relations officer (PRO) Tanaji Kamble, alleging that he threatened an editor against publishing news critical of a certain civic department and warned that advertisements to the newspaper would stop if such reports continued.

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Satam demanded that Kamble be sent on leave pending inquiry and that an assistant commissioner should handle the public relations department.

Satam’s allegations triggered sharp responses from corporators, with party members strongly criticising the alleged conduct, calling any attempt to influence editorial decisions through advertising pressure “an attack on the fourth estate”.

Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator and leader of the opposition Kishori Pednekar, however, defended Kamble during the proceedings. In response, Mayor Ritu Tawde cautioned Pednekar against taking a biased stand while the matter was being debated in the house.

This is the first time a BMC PRO’s name has been raised and criticised on the floor of the civic house in connection with an alleged attempt to influence news publication.

The issue was also raised in the BMC standing committee meeting last week, where BJP corporators questioned whether the civic administration was attempting to use advertising to influence the media. The corporators maintained that the media must be allowed to function independently.

Kamble refused to comment on the issue when contacted.