GUWAHATI: Doordarshan Kendra Agartala has refuted the allegations of blackout of Tripura Chief Minister , Manik Sarkar’s Independence Day speech. Calling it as censorship, Sarkar termed it as an "undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant step".In a statement U.K.Sahoo, Head office, Doordarshan Kendra, Agartala stated, “I would like to state that News Unit of the local station of Doordarshan at Agartala has given wide coverage to public address of Chief Minister of Tripura and the development activities of the state government.”He added, “On August 15, 2017, Doordarshan also gave wide coverage to the chief minister’s Independence Day programme and telecast report running to 29 minutes and 25 seconds. Out of which, the chief minister’s speech coverage was for 12 minutes. This was telecast at 1900 hours.”The public broadcaster added there is a repeat telecast of this programme at 1645 hours today, August 16 2017. Apart from this the chief minister’s speech and Independence Day programme in various districts of Tripura were given wide publicity in the regional news bulletin.Doordarshan further stated since last 25 years the Kendra is giving wide publicity to speeches of chief minister and government programmes.Congress has also criticized the move to censor chief minister’s speech.An official statement from the Chief Minister's Office said that All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan Kendra (DDK), Agartala, recorded Sarkar's speech on August 12 to broadcast and telecast it on August 15."On August 14 evening Assistant Director of Programmes (Policy) Sanjiv Dosajh of AIR, New Delhi, and Prasar Bharati's Head of Office (New Delhi) U.K. Sahoo in separate communications to the Chief Minister's Office said that with the existing contents the speech could not be telecast and broadcast by AIR and DDK, Agartala," the statement said."The AIR and Prasar Bharati officials had suggested reshaping the content of the Chief Minister's speech making it suitable to the solemnity of the occasion and sentiments of the people of India at large. The Chief Minister refused to make any change of his speech," the statement added.Sarkar is the chief minister of Tripura for last 19 years. Senior Left leader Sarkar is a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member and public broadcaster in earlier occasions has telecasted his speeches.Left Front leaders criticised the decision of the Prasar Bharati.The text of chief minister’s speech released states, “Before us on this year’s Independence Day are quite a few very relevant, important and contemporary issues.Unity in diversity is India’s traditional heritage. Great values of secularism have helped in keeping Indians together as a nation. But today, this spirit of secularism is under attack. Conspiracies and attempts are underway to create an undesirable complexity and divisions in our society; to invade our national consciousness in thename of religion, caste and community, by inciting passions to convert India into a particular religious country and in the name of protecting the cow. Because of all these people of Minority and Dalit communities are under severe attack. Their sense of security is being shattered. Their life is under peril.”The speech added, “These unholy tendencies cannot be harboured or tolerated. These disruptive attempts are contrary to the goals,dreams and ideals of our freedom struggle. The followers of those who were not associated with the Independence movement, rather sabotaged the freedom movement, were servile to the atrocious, plunderer and merciless British, aligned with the anti-national forces having decorated themselves today in different names and colours are striking at the root of unity and integrity of India.”Tripura chief minister further said, "In contrast to the anti-people policies of the Government at the Centre, the State Government of Tripura despite its limitations has been pursuing policies for thewelfare of people in all walks of life with a special focus on the downtrodden and to advance forward with their cooperation. This is a totally different and an alternative path. This path has been able to not only attract the people of Tripura but also elicit a positive response of the downtrodden people of our country. This is not being tolerated by the reactionary forces here in Tripura. Hence, conspiracies are being hatched up one after another by the enemies of the people to disturb peace, fraternity and integrity of the State. And at the same time attempts are on to disrupt the realm of developmental works.”Mrinal Kanti Deb, spokesperson of Tripura BJP unit told ET, “Sarkar has no sense of what to speak and where. In past in presence of international delegates and in public forum he said India is acting as “big brother”. On Independence Day speech one can refrain from attacking Centre and concentrate on national integration, national security, peace and development of the country.”