New room at Secretariat for journalists: move to curtail press freedom?
This is seen as a move by the government to stop journalists from gathering in front of the south block seeking bytes from ministers and leaders.
This is seen as a move by the government to stop journalists from gathering in front of the south block seeking bytes from ministers and leaders.
This is seen as a move by the government to stop journalists from gathering in front of the south block seeking bytes from ministers and leaders.
Thiruvananthapuram: A new media room is getting ready for journalists on the ground floor of the south block at the Secretariat. This is seen as a move by the government to stop journalists from gathering in front of the south block seeking bytes from ministers and leaders. A recent Home Ministry circular had suggested this idea to restrict media.
Sergeant rooms are being evacuated for this purpose. Once the room is ready, more restrictions on media can be expected. A ground-floor room means journalists may even be restricted access to the Chief Minister’s office on fourth floor of the north block.
The secretariat already has a PR chamber for pressers. The chief minister’s office has a conference room. Air-conditioned rooms of various sizes are also available in the building. A media room is in addition to all these.
Mediapersons approach the chief minister exiting his office when there are major political developments. From now on, they will have to wait for the chief minister to come to the media room if he wishes to.
The home ministry circular had said the public relations department will notify media in advance whether chief minister or any ministers would be communicating to them at public places. It also said arrangements will be made to collect responses of VIPs housed in different blocks at the secretariat. Security concern created when journalists swarm ministers for bytes is the reason cited by the authorities for the new measures.
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