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Oppn slams order to curb media activities in K’taka Assembly
Karnataka's government faces backlash for limiting journalist access to political leaders, with opposition accusing it of undermining press freedom and democracy.
A state government limiting where journalists can interview political leaders inside the Vidhana Soudha has triggered criticism from the opposition parties, which on Wednesday accused the Congress administration of undermining press freedom and acting in an “authoritarian” manner.
The order, issued by the department of personnel and administrative reforms, instructs journalists to obtain comments from legislators and ministers only at a designated spot near the portico by the West Gate, also known as Kengal Gate. Media personnel have also been told not to follow the chief minister, deputy chief minister, ministers or lawmakers to other areas of the building for reactions.
In a letter addressed to the department of information and public relations, the department asked officials to ensure compliance and specified that only authorised journalists with valid accreditation cards be permitted in the designated area.
A copy of the communication was also sent to the police official overseeing security at the legislature complex. The government has defended the decision, citing safety and security concerns, while officials said the move was intended to regulate congestion caused by electronic media crews.
Opposition leaders denounced the directive, saying it curtailed the media’s ability to function independently.
R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly, said the order reflected an attempt to suppress scrutiny. “This is an emergency situation in Karnataka. In an attempt to cover up its failures, blunders and corruption, the Congress-led Karnataka government has once again displayed its anti-democratic and authoritarian attitude by moving to impose restrictions on the media,” he said.
He questioned whether the government was trying to avoid exposure to controversies, including a recent theft case involving valuables from the office of a minister. Addressing chief minister Siddaramaiah, Ashoka said, “Chief minister Siddaramaiah, in the red Constitution book that your supreme leader Rahul Gandhi carries around and displays everywhere, is there no provision for freedom of the press? Or are you afraid that more irregularities will be exposed, such as the recent case of theft involving lakhs of rupees worth of gold and cash from the office of your close aide and minister Byrathi Suresh, which was brought to light by the media?”
Calling the legislature building a public institution, he added, “Vidhana Soudha is not the office of your Congress party. It is the people’s House, a seat of power belonging to seven crore (70 million) Kannadigas. No one has the authority to restrict media personnel from entering it.”
Ashoka urged the government to revoke the directive, saying, “This unconstitutional order directing that media persons must conduct interviews only at a designated spot inside Vidhana Soudha must be withdrawn immediately. I urge the state government to provide full freedom to the media — the fourth pillar of democracy — to carry out their duties independently.”
BY Vijayendra, the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, also criticised the move, saying it reinforced public perceptions about the government. “I do not understand why such decisions are being taken. During the Belagavi session, the government brought in a law related to hate speech. If we observe closely, each decision of this government appears to undermine democracy. This is certainly not right,” he said.
He added that the party could not accept limits on media access. “We cannot accept restrictions being imposed on the media. This is an anti-democratic move,” he said.
Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Leader of Opposition in the legislative council, said the order amounted to an attempt to silence the press. He described the media as a link between the government and the public and argued that recent security lapses were being used to justify the restrictions.
He said it was wrong to limit journalists instead of addressing security failures and compared the move to past instances when press freedoms were curtailed during the Emergency.
The Janata Dal (Secular) also criticised the government, questioning whether ministers and lawmakers were trying to avoid scrutiny. In a statement, the party said, “Why are ministers and MLAs afraid of questioning corruption? Isn’t silencing the voice of the media a move against democratic values, Siddaramaiah?”
Chief minister Siddaramaiah, who on Wednesday held meetings with the journalists who sought the reversal of the order, however, didn’t give any statements regarding the same.
