TMC expresses solidarity with journos, demands allowing of scribes into Parliament

Apart from the TMC, other opposition parties along with the Congress also expressed their solidarity with the protesting journalists. Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge even wrote to the Chairman of Rajya Sabha M Venkaiah Naidu demanding restoration of the free press entry. The access of journalists has been restricted citing Covid protocols as one of the reasons.

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress party has backed the journalists' protests against restriction to their entry to the Parliament. The party released a statement which was submitted to the President and General Secretary of the Press Club of India( PCI ) by Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Thursday.

Apart from the TMC, other opposition parties along with the Congress also expressed their solidarity with the protesting journalists. Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge even wrote to the Chairman of Rajya Sabha M Venkaiah Naidu demanding restoration of the free press entry. The access of journalists has been restricted citing Covid protocols as one of the reasons.

The PCI also wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker demanding the restoration of entry to all the journalists holding permanent passes to the Parliament premises and the press gallery. Trinamool Congress slammed the decision of barring media from entering the Parliament and supporting the protest call given by press clubs of different states along with Press Club of India.

"Different Press Clubs including the Press Club of India are protesting for Journalists' entry into the Parliament. There has been a clear attempt to shut out all democratic arms. When the journalists announced that at 1 pm they are meeting at the Press Club to protest, our party Chief and leader of Parliamentary Party, Mamta Banerjee guided us to issue a statement which she dictated. We handed over the statement to the President and the Secretary of Press Club of India showing our solidarity," said Derek O'Brien.

The TMC Rajya Sabha MP also alleged that the broadcasting of Parliament proceedings was being censored and the footage of protests by opposition parties being edited on Sansad TV. "They have a multi-camera set up in the Parliament but while covering the proceedings live, they only show in close up the footage of presiding officer and the person speaking. Even in the long shot, only footage of those areas are shown where BJP MPs or the MPs from ruling alliance are seating. Why they are not showing what opposition is doing in the parliament? They are converting the house into a secret chamber where only BJP-RSS people are allowed to discuss," said Derek O'Brien. The Trinamool Congress has demanded that media should be allowed to cover the parliament proceedings immediately.