By Sujata Madhok*
New Delhi: A large number of journalists participated in a joint protest here today to demand removal of restrictions on media persons’ entry to Parliament. The entry of media persons to Parliament was severely curtailed during the Covid scare two years ago. However the Government shows no signs of restoring the right to report on and from Parliament during the current winter session.
Several journalists’ bodies had appealed to the Parliament Secretariat regarding the issue but their requests were ignored, forcing them to come together to hold a joint meeting, followed by a protest rally outside the Press Club of India.
Speakers representing the journalists’ bodies said the denial of access to Parliament, including to those previously accredited, is an attack on press freedom. It impedes the professional work of correspondents whose job it is to report news on the proceedings of the two Houses. Further, they are unable to informally meet MPs and understand political undercurrents. They are also being denied access to the Parliament Library and it’s records.
Among those who spoke at the meeting were veteran journalist Satish Jacob, and TV journalists Rajdeep Sardesai and Ashutosh, besides those representing journalists’ bodies.
A resolution passed at the meeting said that “since media works as a conduit between people and lawmakers it is all the more necessary that the process of free flow of news from Parliament be restored”.
A memorandum will be submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman, Rajya Sabha with a list of demands. The demands include the restoration of the entry of all journalists having permanent passes to the Parliament complex and the Press Gallery, the restoration of the entry of veteran journalists into the Central Hall of Parliament and restoration of the Long and Distinguished services category for senior and veteran journalists. The meeting also called for reconstitution of the Press Advisory Committee at the earliest.
The meeting was jointly organised by the Press Club of India, the Editors Guild of India, the Press Association, the Delhi Union of Journalists, the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Kerala Union of Working Journalists, the Working News Cameramen’s Association and the Kerala Press Club.
*The writer is a New Delhi-based senior journalist, feminist, social activist, trade unionist.
