New Delhi: The Editors Guild on Wednesday termed the Finance Ministry restrictions on the entry of media persons into North Block as a "gag" on media freedom and urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to withdraw the "arbitrary decision".
A clarification issued by the office of the finance minister on Tuesday said that a procedure has been put in place for "streamlining and facilitating" the entry of media persons inside the ministry of finance and "no ban is in place" on the entry of media persons in the ministry.
The Editors Guild, however, condemned the ministry's "arbitrary decision" to deny even government-accredited journalists' access to its offices in North Block, without prior appointment.
Journalists are accredited after a careful security check process and have so far been allowed entry into government offices without prior appointment.
As precedence, North Block, the seat of the finance ministry, has only been out of bounds for journalists during the pre-budget quarantine period, which is about two months.
The guild, in a statement, said that it has no dispute with the ministry that journalists should behave with restraint and responsibility while enjoying their access to the finance ministry, but a blanket order is not the answer.
"This order is a gag on media freedoms and can even result in a further fall in India's global press freedom rankings, especially as the contagion can easily spread to other ministries as well," the Editors Guild said.
If the finance minister believes that journalists' access to government offices is causing some inconveniences, the system could be improved in discussions with journalists, the guild said.
The guild urges Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to reconsider her decision and withdraw it, the statement said.
However, even after the presentation of 2019-20 Budget on July 5, even journalists with valid PIB accreditation have been denied entry without an appointment. Subsequently, the finance ministry issued a statement saying there was no ban on the entry of journalists and that a procedure had been put in place for “streamlining and facilitating” the entry of journalists.
According to sources, 16 opposition parties have also given notice to Rajya Sabha Speaker M. Venkaiah Naidu for a minor debate on the independence of the media.
Sharad Pawar, who first sign on the notice. However, this notice has not been accepted in the Rajya Sabha so far, but the opposition parties are pressing for debate on it next week.
There are speculations that BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has also signed this notice. In support of the notice, several regional parties came forward.
