Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly Wednesday withdrew restrictions on carrying mobile phones to the press gallery following a boycott by journalists covering the proceedings of the House.
The announcement was made by Youth Affairs Minister Suryabanshi Suraj after a meeting between Speaker Surama Padhy and the agitating journalists.
Reporters of various media organisations boycotted the proceedings and staged a dharna near Mahatma Gandhi statue on Assembly premises over the issue.
The minister said that there will be no restriction on journalists to carry their mobile phones to the press gallery, but they cannot take photographs or do video recording from the press gallery.
As per the decision taken in the meeting, mobile phones will remain on a silent mode in the press gallery. The Information and Public Relations Department will provide adequate photos of Question Hour to media organisations.
Speaker Padhy said that the Assembly will organise an orientation programme for the journalists covering the proceedings of the House.
Though there was no official notification on debarring journalists from carrying mobile phones inside the House, the security personnel deployed at the entry gates had earlier in the day prevented the reporters from carrying the gadget.
The journalists said they were unable to perform their professional duties on not being allowed to carry mobile phones inside the House.
The action of not allowing journalists to carry mobile phones came a day after photographs and videos of the MLAs’ scuffle inside the House were used by media houses and went viral on social media.
Both the opposition Congress and BJD supported the journalists.
BJD MLA and former minister Arun Kumar Sahoo strongly condemned the restriction on media and urged the Speaker not to interfere with the freedom of the press.
Suspended from the House, Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati strongly criticised the action and said his party was fully supporting the journalists’ protest.
Former Congress MLA Sura Routray also opposed the restriction on the reporters.
PTI