The Communist Party of India (CPI) Central Secretariat on Monday accused corporate houses of taking the litigation route against journalists and writers and termed the move as a method to curtail the freedom speech.
The party in a statement alleged that most of the corporate houses especially Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Group in particular was silencing the journalists for exposing violations by the companies.
“The Secretariat of the CPI condemns the notices of defamation cases, which are rightly called as strategic litigation against public persons like authors, journalists and publishers by corporate companies, to silence the exposures that are of concern to the nation. The book ‘Gas Wars, crony capitalism and the Ambanis’, published by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, is a book that exposes the Gas price drama that is going on in the country.
“Gas is a natural resource that belongs justifiably to the nation and the Supreme Court has clarified it beyond doubt. CPI, the left and many other important personalities, journalists, and researchers are exposing and fighting on these issues since last few years.
“The review article by Sucheta Dalal is also being targeted by the Ambanis. The book and the article are based on information that is readily available to every body. This is a naked attempt to frighten those who expose the wrong deeds,” said the CPI Central Secretariat.