Chaini Parwani –
Published on: December 3, 2021 at 13:40 IST
Several Journalists and representatives from India’s press and media bodies assembled at the Press Club of India (PCI) in Delhi on Thursday, protesting slogans such as “Long live press freedom” and seeking entry to the Parliament.
Ahead of the Parliament’s Winter Session that started on Monday, a “Lottery System” was instituted to permit 60 journalists inside Lok Sabha (lower house) and 32 in Rajya Sabha (upper house), with 11 and 10 slots respectively reserved for Government-run and some select media organisations and agencies.
Editor and TV Anchor Rajdeep Sardesai stated “It started with the pretext of COVID in 2020 but now things have gone too far and this is the reason why I say that if we don’t protest now, this will become a permanent thing.”
Further the PCI highlighted that the Lottery System could be Crisis in a Parliamentary Democracy like India.
Furthermore, the PCI while claiming that it was the Fifth Session of Parliament when curbs on reporting from the Parliament are imposed, stated “Assurances given to us were not complied with.”
The PCI in an open letter to political parties of India pointed out that restrictions imposed in markets, cinemas, restaurants and other public spaces during COVID had been lifted while the curbs on reporting in Parliament are still in action.
India is ranked 142nd rank among 180 countries in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, according to press watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which also noted Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “predator” of Press Freedom.Modi Government has been held responsible by India’s opposition parties and rights activists of attacking Journalists through Draconian laws, dominating a section of traditional news media, and escaping discussions on crucial matters inside the Parliament.
