The journalists of various media houses were allowed inside Lokaseva Bhawan (Odisha Secretariat). The development assumes much significance as they were banned by the outgoing Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government.
For around four years journalists were not allowed inside the Secretariat. Several journalists expressed their happiness over the development as they were not allowed inside the Secretariat by the previous BJD government citing Covid pandemic.
Many said that the shackles have been broken finally.
“We extend gratitude to the new BJP government which has allowed the media inside without any restrictions,” said a journalist.
Another journalist said, “We think that the shackles are now off and on day one the new government has tried to restore the rights of the media, the fourth pillar of the democracy.”
Journalist Jagdish Dash said, “The restrictions which were clamped citing Covid pandemic have been removed. The way journalists were stopped from discharging their duties by the previous regime was totally a disgrace. There was a one-way communication during the BJD regime and reporting was only through WhatsApp. In the new BJP government, things are now different.”