'Lying through their teeth': TKF's Vivek Agnihotri slams 'undemocratic' ban by Press Clubs

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who is quite vocal about his thoughts, recently slammed the Press Club of India for canceling his recent press conference. The development comes after the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) in New Delhi also earlier canceled his press conference which was to be held in the national capital on May 5. The press conference was going to be held about the genocide of the Kashmiri Hindus and his recently released controversial film, The Kashmir Files.  

Taking to Twitter, Agnihotri wrote, "Wow! @PCITweets also cancelled me. The watchdogs of democracy and messiah of free speech not only banned me undemocratically but are also lying through their teeth. 1. Encl are the facts. 2. They have booked earlier through our agency without any member’s recco. Receipt encl."

Vivek Agnihotri's tweet was in response to an announcement made by the Press Club of India on the microblogging site. As the director announced an open press conference, the Press Club of India tweeted about the cancellation of the pressor. They wrote, "The Press Club of India is not facilitating any event on May 5 by any individual or organisation. The Club allows press conferences only with advanced booking. There is a due process, and bookings have to be done through a member of the Club."

Continuing his argument in a series of tweet, Agnihotri added, "When my video of the FCC (Foreign Correspondents' Club) canceling the press conference went viral, @PCITweets conspired with them and canceled our press conference. done. These anti-free speech, anti-truth, agenda driven elite clubs thrive on huge government properties in Lutyens' Delhi. The time has come for us to expose these arrogant fraudsters."

It is pertinent to mention here that the FCC, while canceling The Tashkent Files' maker's press conference, said that "some powerful media houses" have expressed strong objection to this PC and have also threatened them. Leveling serious allegations against a group of foreign journalists, Agnihotri said in a video message, "Yesterday I received a call from their president saying that the event has to be cancelled as some very powerful media have taken strong objection to this conference and have threatened to resign en masse if it is allowed. The club's management surrendered to agenda-driven, anti-free speech and anti-truth and cancelled the press conference in an undemocratic manner."

"This is perhaps the first time that the messiahs and watchdogs of free speech have banned free speech in their own club. Since then, I have received calls from many Indian and foreign correspondents, who want this press conference, but the club management refused to listen to their demands. I think, dear friends, it is important to know how some agenda-driven foreign media is part of an anti-India, anti-truth and anti-free speech conspiracy. I have been a victim of the same media which has been falsely blaming Indian for spreading hate. Though I have been advised by many to let it pass as they are very powerful people, my conscience does not allow this attack on free speech."