JAMMU : Media was today kept at bay, despite an official invitation extended by the state unit of Bharatiya Janata
Party, to cover the function of Union Minister for Human Resources and Development Smriti Irani in Jammu. Ms Irani was in the town to address the BJP ‘karyakartas’ sammelan in the city outskirts.
The party, last night, extended an official invitation to media to cover the function to be addressed by Ms Irani. However, despite the invitation, the media was not allowed to enter the venue hall where the Union Minister addressed the party ‘karyakartas’.
“Only some of the photojournalists and the cameramen of news channels and newspapers were allowed to click the shots of the function but were also not allowed to record the speech of Ms Irani,” a journalist of a national channel told UNI. “It is unfortunate that the media was not allowed to enter the hall and cover the function despite invitation,” Deepak Khajuria-Bureau Chief, Jammu, Day and Night News Channel said. He said if the BJP leadership had directions from the high command, they should not have invited the media.
“The BJP leadership should have issued a fresh e-mail to the media houses with an advisory that Ms Irani will not be interacting or issuing any statement to media so that we would have not visited the venue and get humiliated,” Sominder Koul, Jammu Bureau Chief, ANI said with resentment. Meanwhile at the venue, Ms Irani when asked for comments, rejected the charges and said those who had extended the invitation to media should apologise. BJP spokesperson and press secretary Balbir Ram, who extended the invitations, said, “the programme was coordinated by the party state general secretary Bali Bhagat and despite directions from the high command, he told us to invite media.” Mr Ram said in future also such ‘sammelans’ will be held and addressed by the BJP stalwarts ahead of Assembly elections to accomplish ‘Mission 44 plus’.
The BJP spokesman, however, apologised the media for inconvenience.
(AGENCIES)
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