Team Herald
PANJIM: A controversial circular by the Goa Legislative Secretariat, framing new rules for accreditation of journalists, has led to turmoil amongst journalists as well as in the political spectrum.
The new guidelines for the media have come close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking Information & Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani to withdraw a similar circular in Delhi.
Caught off guard by the strong opposition from the media, Speaker Pramod Sawant has now invited suggestions from the Press Advisory Committee (PAC).
Sawant, however, said the guidelines are not new to the State. “This is not a new set of guidelines. It was always there and such guidelines are followed even at Parliament. We have no intention to exclude any individual journalist or media house from entering and/or covering the Assembly proceedings. If there are any changes required, the PAC is welcome to put it up before us and we will accordingly take action,” Sawant told Herald, even as media personnel continued to deliberate on the ‘controversial guidelines’.
Senior journalists backed by Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ) have slammed the guidelines demanding its withdrawal. Journalist Sandesh Prabhudesai slammed the decision, calling it ‘ foolish job of some ‘brainless officers’.
“The guidelines look like a copy paste job. It is a task done by some brainless officers and Speaker has not applied his mind while accepting it,” Prabhudesai, also editor of local cable news channel Goa365, said.
Prabhudesai, who started the news portal Goanews.com way back in 1999, has challenged the ‘makers of the guidelines’ to show a single website in the world running on subscription. “I have been running the website as a passion and mission. I challenge the Speaker and whoever concerned to show me some websites which is run on subscription anywhere in the world,” he said, reacting to one of the conditions that a news agency and website should have Rs 10 lakh revenue through news content.
GUJ President Kishore Naik Gaonkar expressed his disappointment at the development questioning why the Legislative Assembly did not consult media forums before taking this decision. “These guidelines are unjustified and unwarranted. They have not taken the PAC or GUJ into confidence while framing the guidelines. The conditions laid down in the guidelines will make very few eligible to cover the Assembly proceedings,” he said.
He added, “We request that the circular be withdrawn, and that PAC, GUJ and Editors’ Guild be taken into confidence.”
Some ruling MLAs were also surprised at the decision. Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte sought to know why the fourth pillar of democracy was being treated in such a way. “I don’t find any justification for suddenly bringing in new rules at this point of time. If there is a particular case then it can be identified and taken up with the media council or GUJ. But you cannot decide on a mandate on what and how for media because ultimately it’s a pillar of democracy,” he said.
In a press statement Leader of Opposition Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar said that he was shocked to know about new accreditation rules and guidelines through media. He said that the same “are very arrogant and biased. These sorts of directions are an attempt by the authorities concerned to surpass and control freedom of the press.”
