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Reporter barred from covering event at CM residence, says Odisha TV
Though the OTV reporter said she was invited through a WhatsApp message, the security personnel at the gate refused to allow her citing orders from ‘top’.
A woman journalist of Odisha’s largest TV news channel OTV was turned away by security personnel at chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence on Tuesday, in what is believed to be a fallout of the tussle between the CM and former BJD MP Baijayant Panda.
Archana Satpathy, a reporter of OTV, along with a cameraperson, had gone to Naveen Niwas at 11 am on Tuesday to cover former Congress leader Pranay Sahu’s joining the BJD. Sahu, who had resigned from Congress, had come with his supporters.
Though the OTV reporter said she was invited through a WhatsApp message, the security personnel at the gate refused to allow her citing orders from ‘top’.
Reporters and camerapersons of other newspapers and TV channels houses were allowed to cover the event.
When the OTV reporter tried to find out who actually has given such orders, no one gave any answer.
“Our reporter tried her best to reason with the security personnel at the gate saying that there was an invitation, but they refused to allow. No explanations were given,” said Radha Madhav Mishra, editor of OTV.
OTV News is promoted by Ortel Communications, whose chairperson is Jaggi Mangta Panda, the wife of Baijayant Panda. Panda had resigned from BJD in May last year amid serious rift with CM Patnaik.
BJD’s Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson Prasanta Nanda said he has no idea about the incident. “There must be some misunderstanding,” he said.
This is the second such incident in last two months when OTV reporters have been shown the door. In November last year, Odisha sports secretary Vishal Dev had asked the sports reporter of OTV, Niranjan Reddy to leave a press briefing being held in his office chamber.
Dev, who is also the secretary of Odisha IAS officers Association reportedly did this during a press briefing on preparations for the Hockey World Cup that was held in Bhubaneswar last month.
The IAS officer was reportedly upset with the channel airing a story on the problems during online ticket booking for the inaugural ceremony of the Hockey World Cup tournament.
Senior journalist Rabi Das condemned such behaviour. “This is totally unacceptable. Naveen Niwas is the residence of chief minister. When the journalists are getting invitation for functions or to cover any news, they should not be stopped,” said Das.
