From India's largest Newsroom. I'm Warren Gorge.
And this is the times of India podcast.
It was in 2020 that the restrictions were imposed on the
entry of media persons in Parliament, due to the covid-19
pandemic. It's been three years since they
were imposed, but the restrictions remain despite the
opening of a new Parliament building we represented before
speaker, that now all the restrictions are completely
lifted and not only in India but all over the world.
Aho World Health Organization has also declared that.
Now there is no need for restrictions and people can move
freely. So on that basis.
We again pleaded with the speaker of the Lok Sabha.
That now, is the time that you should allow media persons as it
used to be three covid situation, at least so far,
there is no official response from this.
Good for the government. Now, new building of the
parliament is there in that building?
There is a media Gallery. Seating capacity has been
increased from 1998, has gone up to 128 but the issue remains if
we are allowed inside the media gallery, please Gallery, then
you re it is of use if you if you Continue with some kind of a
pretext, to deny the entry to the media into the Parliament
and in a way denying the access to the information.
What one should say when is it, is it is denying the basic
fundamental, right? Of the citizens of this country
to know what is happening in the parliament.
What is happening in the government?
It is it is it denied? That's you know, journalists
ananth Target curve underneath had resigned as the secretary of
the media advisory committee to the rajya Sabha in 2021.
Over the restrictions, that prevent a journalist like him
from covering Parliament, with the new session of parliament
set to start in July the restrictions remain in place in
a letter to Lok Sabha speaker. Ohm Bedlam the Press Club of
India. Recently demanded restrictions
on the entry of journalists be removed.
They've not received a response yet.
In today's episode underneath is in conversation with Mike.
League Alka do care about. Why the representatives of all
media houses should be allowed entry into Parliament?
He pulls back the curtain on how journalists use their access to
Parliament to speak with lawmakers and report on stories.
That may be important for their audiences.
He also explains what he thinks is the ulterior motive Behind
these. Restrictions remaining in place.
I'll get started by asking undone to explain how things
worked in the old building of Parliament, that is now set to
be converted into a museum. All of us who have not been to
the parliament area Gallery. Can you like give us a view and
how important was it to sit in the parliament Gallery access to
the parliament is very important.
This, those who cover Delhi and Parliament.
And obviously the national politics for them access to
Parliament is very, very important.
I am talking of the old parliament in New, They have
made some new Arrangements but I am talking of the old Parliament
building where media Gallery was exactly over the speaker.
So we can get a complete view of the house who is doing what we
speaking. And the idea behind it was we
are like this speaker of the house.
We do not take sides. Our view is complete mrs.
Reeves. If ruling party or the treasury
benches, they make some point. Obviously, that will be taken
note of by the journalists and opposition.
So that is how the idea came that our Gallery was exactly
about the speaker. In the new parliament, in the
Lok Sabha, they have made two galleries left and right.
The issue remains that journalist access to the
parliament. And the media Gallery is of
utmost importance Because unless and until he is physically
present there, he cannot just watch some TV or something looks
of a channel and Report because in Lok Sabha, TV channels or in
other channels. Also, when some noise or some,
some hullabaloo takes place, the camera is focused only on the
speaker. That is the convention they
follow. And whosoever is making noise.
They are not shown. But in democracy, if a members
voice is not heard and if treasury benches try to just gag
him or just making bigger noise than him and what allowed him to
exactly made his own point then obviously, If you are sitting in
the gallery, you can see the entire scene and that is why it
is very important to sit in the gallery and watch the
proceedings by your own eyes and your and hear with your own
ears. We have a PTA and other agencies
reporting available why it is important for language
newspapers reporters or journalist to be present in the
Parliament House. How it matters and This is a
great question PTI, uni or any news agency.
They cover the larger picture Times of India.
Publishes it in English, we publish it in moratti or Tamil
or Malayalam but news is National.
So we are equally National newspapers and you can call as
only language newspapers so language newspapers.
Also have obviously, since we publish saying Maharashtra or
Malayala Manorama is from Kira. So then that region specific
news items which are not covered that extensively.
But a person from Maharashtra or Kerala when he seats in the
parliament Gallery obviously the Kerala in peace, they raised
some Kerala issues. Mara train pieces, braised,
marotta cognitive boundary dispute, So that kind of issue
though that they are reported by us and they are reported in
details. And that is why language papers
also need to have access to the parliament, because Parliament,
consists of entire India. It is not only a limited to
Delhi, or up' or Bihar Kerala MPS.
Are there, the main are do MPS are their car.
Not again, please are there and obviously the journalist from
these states language press, they do cover them extensively,
that is why language raise also should get proper access to the
parliament. Do you feel that covid-19 an
excuse to stop the informal interaction between the ruling
BJP party and media persons in The Parlor?
Mm, not only be GB but any ruling party.
Any ruling party that is why I call it.
Raj, eSATA, any state power will never allow the media?
Originalist to have a free access to the information.
Leave aside parties parties come and go but obviously the
difference of degree is always there, I still remember that
some leaders used to complain that why journalists come and
sit in the central Hall but actually the majority of the MPS
and the leaders and The Minister's, they do like to
interact with the journalist. They were obviously few
whoo-hoo. Who were not very, who do not
wanted them to speak, and to give information that kind of
politicians are there? No doubt, but I can miss, I can
name, many leaders. Mean with even Indira, Gandhi,
used to come and sit in the central Hall to have a coffee
and toast, Sonia, Gandhi Rahul Gandhi the chandrashekar, former
prime minister in Italia re-watch pile of Krishna.
Advani moly man. Although she may see, I can name
me one BJP leaders also. So they all your share of power
comes and sit in the central Hall Arun, jaitley had their bar
of journalist when he was alive and he used to interact and he
also used to give a kind of a picture, what is happening in
the government? They used to give you an idea.
A hint that these things are happening on that, you have to
work as a journalist and develop a story. but that kind of an
interaction, obviously, some people are very averse to and it
is not only news views, also exchange, of views, and news and
those who really want to control the happenings in the government
and they don't want such happenings to be exposed in the
public, obviously, they They feel that such interactions or
such access to journalist is not desirable.
The new building, that doesn't have Central Hall.
It has got only a media Lounge, miss those who are not very
talkative or not, very free. They will never dare to come to
Media lounge and interact with media.
So, in a way, it is a denial, what we think it is a denial.
You are denying access to information to the media
persons. So the opposition leaders have
always called this Undeclared emergency.
And with your experience, tell us what had happened during
emergency where such restrictions brought in at that
time, or was it a different picture during the emergency
Central Hall? Was not closed, or shut down.
Or access was not denied, no information, used to flow out.
That was the issue, but Axis or the entry was never denied to
journalist and that is the difference between now.
And then now you are completely barred, you are completely
barred from entering the old building.
The you are converting now into a museum.
So now democracy is also now a part of the museum that is what
people like us think. It is a democratic, right?
No, this is the fundamental right of any citizen of this
country so non journalists listeners.
If you can explain that when you have accreditation and when
you're not mentioning what revealing who you're going to
meet in the building and or what purpose are you going to make
how it helps journalists to maintain their sources and keep
the confidentiality and the current system?
Mm is exactly opposite, 8uc sources are there.
And if you are really honest to the information on accuracy,
obviously people come forward and meet you meeting point is
cannot be only restricted to the building of a Ministry.
You can meet anywhere it is not only one source that you get
some information and you give the new obviously we get a piece
of information from Um one person then you work on the,
then other sources. Also, add more inputs to it.
That is how a news is developed. But still now we the leaders of
this government. They tell MP's openly And that
has been reported. That MP should not talk to
journalists. Why if a member of parliament
wants to highlight what he has done in the parliament, what
issues he has raised in the parliament of his constituency
or office region. Okay, country talk to the to a
journalist and till the information that I have raised
this issue, it can be a good news.
Also that his government has done something and his issue has
been resolved. But daily own employees not to
talk to journalists is again in in position.
And the same thing is now percolated to the administration
bureaucracy Etc. They speak.
But not the way they used to do. I design that Secretary of rajya
Sabha media advisory committee in protest of these sanctions or
restrictions, did it bring some kind of output from the
government side? 20 remaining in committee was
useless meaningless. and that is what I have written in that
later to the Chairman of the rajya Sabha who happens to be
vice president of India. It was a very simple later that
since the restrictions go with restrictions are completely
removed relaxed all over the world.
Obviously our demand is to get the excess of Parliament and to
get the excess of parliament for what to go and eat if you drink
coffee and tea. No, we want information.
But just on the pretext of covid, you are denying the entry
of media into the parliament was come from something, which was
not acceptable. You live in a democracy.
How why? Why?
You want to hide something from the media?
So it is nothing but hiding information.
Denying access to the information that was the issue
and I said it is it is not protest, but the pain and the
pain which is shared by the journalists across But there was
no response, no reply. And in fact informally I was
conveyed by the staff of the vice president at the time that
no he was very upset by your later.
But, you know, he told us that the administration comes under
Lok Sabha speaker. What he can do with the I said
I'm covering Parliament when he he's not even there.
So don't tell me who is custodian of the Parliamentary
Administration and what if anybody wants to do, he can very
well do. He is also chairman of a house
and I think some kind of a wisdom prevailed because later
on I think one station they allowed journalist but since he
retired or he were his his term. Not extended and the new vice
president came. So again, that practice was down
and let us hope that in the new Parliament, they will allow all
the journalists. But what I learned that entry,
as we used to move freely in the old Parliament building house.
Now they have restricted, journalist movement, only to the
media lounge and the galleries. That is what I learned which is
a Don't go to Parliament solution.
Might take place in the new building and the restrictions
that is what they see that generally Monsoon session begins
mid-july, or the third week of July and it goes for four weeks
or five weeks, obviously, it will be in the new building, but
we don't know. I checked up from the Lok Sabha
Secretariat. They said we haven't yet decided
whether to Music. We have not received any orders
from the top about the axis. So don't know where were putting
these restrictions. What are they trying to achieve
Bird by denying journalists entry into the Parliament House?
This. I I can only say that if you
want to press allow a one-sided picture, before the people of
India, then obviously, you will do all kind of things, which
will actually allow you to present that kind of a picture.
In democracy, other side is equally important, but if you
want, only the government version should go to the people,
then you will say that no need for other side.
We are doing good for the people and there is no question that
anybody is taking objection or opposing, our thing that is the
mindset that only one-sided picture should be presented
before the readers. Let us decide, but this is not
democracy. This is, this is completely
against the democracy and the spirit of democracy because
democracy means that you should have equal respect to the other
view. Also, by doing this, you are not
allowing the other view to be presented before the readers and
the people of the country. Today's episode was produced by
Jay Raj, Singh soon. I moratti and on Vijay Singh for
a daily Spotlight. On people ideas and stories that
matter subscribe to us, we're available on T.
Y+ Spotify, Apple Google podcast and all other platforms of your
choice. For any new steps email us at
DIY podcast at times, internet dot in Today's episode was
produced by Jay Raj, Singh soon. I moratti and on Vijay Singh for
a daily Spotlight. On people ideas and stories that
matter subscribe to us, we're available on T.
Y+ Spotify, Apple Google podcast and all other platforms of your
choice. For any new steps email us at
DIY podcast at times, internet dot in