By T N Ashok

The Press Club of India (PCI) on Wednesday organised a seminar to coincide with 70 years of Parliament and The Media and their relationship. Speaking on the occasion, PTT Acharya , who literally grew with parliament, serving 40 years in the Lok Sabha, a former secretary general of Lok Sabha under the then, speaker Somnath Chatterjee, recalled history as to how the then speaker Vithalbhai Patel fought with the British to create an independent secretariat for the Lok Sabha. He said the media was virtually an extension of parliament.

“The importance of media’s presence can be gauged by the fact that in year 1929, Shri Vithalbhai Patel set up the First Press Advisory Committee to initiate media’s participation and due coverage of parliamentary proceedings,” he said.

N K Premachandran, MP, RSP, recalled how the media and parliament had been enjoying cordial relations in the recent past and the pandemic disrupted the relationship and entry had become restricted. Since media is virtually another wing of representation of the people in parliament, the restriction of media access due to covid neededed to berelaxed and lifted.

“I am in solidarity with the media. Without media, what is the strength of Parliament. Denying media entry into Parliament is like denying people their fundamental rights,” Premachandran said. Denying access to journalists will also deny the right of people to access information, he said.

Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge also issued a statement saying media curbs such as due to covid needed to belifted as life outside was eased if protocols even as omicron was spreading.

“Media is the fourth pillar of democracy. It is through the press that vital information about parliamentary debates reaches people. It is the Parliament’s role to make laws and to discuss issues that matter to common people. Government does not want Parliament to function. The suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs is testament to this. It also objects to the media giving voice to the opposition. With this mindset, not just the media, but all pillars of democracy are under threat,” Kharge said in a letter to the Press Club of India.

Umakant Lakhera president of press club welcomed the support of MPs for the media. Chayakant Naik, president of Press Association, a representative body of accredited journalists, wanted the renewal of PIB cards hastened for 2022.

“By restricting media entry, the government is erecting a wall against freedom of expression and the smooth flow of information and facts percolating from Parliament. As a consequence, journalists are likely to lose out on the understanding of goings on in parliament; and people will be bereft of vitally important information relating to policies framed by the government,” Lakhera said.

Former president of Press Club of India, Anant Bagaitkar, said the move to keep journalists out of Parliament was a “well calculated move by the present government”. Bagaitkar also tendered his resignation from the post of Secretary, Media Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha, as a mark of protest against restriction imposed on media entering Parliament.

Press Association President CK Nayak raised the issue of delaying the renewal press accreditation facilities by the Press Information Bureau (PIB). He alleged that such kind of tactics is clear objective to restrict the media persons from doing their duties.

Resolution

As we commemorate the 70th year of Constitutional Democracy, Press Club of India reiterates its faith in the Constitution of India, as the Supreme Law. It is from Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India that the media draws its freedom to disseminate information emanating from Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary. We believe that it is also the role and duty of media to defend the Indian Constitution.

In this light, unwarranted restrictions imposed on media persons for entry into Parliament are not in consonance with the letter and spirit of Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. We appeal to the government to restore Constitutional sanctity and to remove the restrictions imposed on media entry into Parliament.