Not aware journalists are debarred from CM Naveen Patnaik's programmes: Odisha Minister  

The Information and Public Relations (I & PR) department is not aware of the fact that journalists and photojournalists are being debarred from attending the programmes where Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is invited as a guest. 

This fact has been borne out when none other than Information and Public Relations (I & PR) Minister Pradip Amat made a statement in this regard in the state Assembly on Tuesday. 

Today, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of journalists and photojournalists being barred from programmes where Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is invited as the Chief Guest. The party’s Umerkote MLA Nityananda Gond raised the issue. 

He wanted to know why journalists particularly those belonging to electronic media and photojournalists are being debarred from attending the CM’s programmes and events. 

Replying to the question raised by legislator Gond, Information and Public Relations (I& PR) Minister, Pradip Amat said he is not aware that there is any restriction on journalists from attending CM’s programmes. 

The Minister further clarified that journalists are generally invited to a programme by the department that organizes it. 

On February 21, the first day of the Budget Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, a picture of journalists being stopped by police using rope as a barricade had emerged. The same had gone viral on social media platforms, eliciting resentment and strong reactions. 
The restriction on journalists is not new in Odisha. 

Earlier, entry of journalists was restricted inside Loka Seva Bhawan citing Covid-19 despite the lockdown was lifted everywhere else. Thereafter, journalists were restricted at several government programmes as well. The latest restriction was imposed when President Droupadi Murmu visited Odisha on February 10.
 

(Reported by Jagdish Das, OTV)