Sham: Another edition of media guide hits MPC

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) seems to be playing some kind of practical joke on the world media.

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) seems to be playing some kind of practical joke on the world media.

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On Wednesday, the Organising Committee issued a third official media guide, leaving people in the press operations department and the media in a tizzy.

All the three guides in possession of Hindustan Times indicate a power struggle between the bureaucracy
and the people who worked hard to finish it on time before the Games.

The people at the helm allegedly brought about changes in the guide as they felt that
the young creators, led by the then Press Operations Director-General, Manish Kumar, were gaining
popularity.

“Everyone knows why the first copy was kept on hold.

We had been asked to tear off the last two pages before its distribution at the eleventh hour,” said a press operations insider.

“This delay has damaged the country’s image,” he said.

The third guide, distributed to the media on Wednesday, carries the pictures of Jiji Thomson, Special Director-General, Press Operations, and also of Manjushree Roy, Head, Press Operations and Administrator, Main Press Centre (MPC). The original guide had pictures of Kumar and his team.

Journalists from all over the world are still running from pillar to post to get information and accreditation on the Games.

The first media guide was put online in March with 90 per cent information made available as per the host city contract, and was duly approved by the Commonwealth Games Federations.

“Everyone knows who prepared the guide and whose picture should be in it. The Organising Committee secretary-general, Lalit Bhanot, would be the right person to give a clarification,” said Kumar, who has been now attached with Bhanot’s office in a different capacity.