On Saturday (September 30), R Rajagopal, the Editor of the leftist newspaper ‘The Telegraph’, was promoted to the post of ‘Editor-at-Large.’
The development was confirmed in a notice published by the Ananda Bazar Patrika (ABP) group, which owns The Telegraph. R Rajagopal has been replaced by Sankarshan Thakur.
According to the notice, both Thakur and Rajagopal will continue to report to the Chief Editor and Publisher of the paper. After the development came to light, CPI(M) MP John Brittas suggested that Rajagopal’s removal as Editor was influenced by PM Modi.
Telegraph- certainly the last post of hope in otherwise, caved in and ‘ Modified’ media-scape under the valiant fighter R Rajagopal. Am sure Sankarshan has the mettle to be the torchbearer of bold journalism. pic.twitter.com/jAsYzUbkH5
— John Brittas (@JohnBrittas) October 1, 2023
“Telegraph- certainly the last post of hope in otherwise, caved in and ‘ Modified’ media-scape under the valiant fighter R Rajagopal. Am sure Sankarshan has the mettle to be the torchbearer of bold journalism,” he tweeted.
A ‘journalist’ named Seema Sengupta blamed the Modi government for the removal of R Rajagopal as the Editor of The Telegraph. This was despite the fact that he is still working in the same organisation but in a different capacity.
Time for another Editor to be at large in Modi's India. Calcutta Telegraph replaces its Editor R Rajagopal with Sankarshan Thakur, a doughy fighter with pen taking on the Establishment uncompromisingly. Hope, Telegraph's punchy headlines will continue to nail the powers that be. pic.twitter.com/Do0QQz97Md
— Seema Sengupta, (@SeemaSengupta5) September 30, 2023
Nonetheless, R Rajagopal has been working with The Telegraph since 1996 and assumed the position of Editor in 2016. He had previously worked on the ‘political sections’ of The Economic Times and Business Standard.
The new Editor of The Telegraph, Sankarshan Thakur, has meanwhile updated his X (formerly Twitter) bio and posted the e-paper of the newspaper. As evident from the e-paper, the political propaganda of the West Bengal-based paper is unlikely to change.
— Sankarshan Thakur (@SankarshanT) October 1, 2023
ABP journalist arrested in West Bengal
On September 6 this year, a 33-year-old Anandabazar Patrika correspondent namedDebmalya Bagchi, was arrested by the West Bengal police. The development came days after he wrote critical articles about hooch traders operating in the TMC-controlled Sanjoal area in Kharagpur Municipality.
He was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354B (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe), 509 (uttering any word or making any gesture intended to insult modesty of a woman), provisions of SC/ST Act.
A police complaint was filed against Bagchi by his Dalit neighbour on August 27, 2023, for allegedly hurling casteist remarks and assaulting her outside her residence.
It must be mentioned that the Anandabazar Patrika correspondent had written about the laxity of the local administration towards the hooch trade and the harassment of the informants by those involved in the production of bootleg liquor.
