Media boycott assembly session over remarks made by Speaker

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Feb 27: National and International media today boycotted the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly after Speaker Muhammad Akbar Lone remarked that media was under his control during the assembly session.

As the House started, Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma pointed out a article published in a local daily which has alleged bungling in the Health Department.

Appealing to the Speaker to seek an explanation from the newspaper, Sharma alleged that a section of media was carrying out a vilification campaign against state ministers.

Sharma was backed by PHE and Irrigation Minister Taj Mohideen, who said that serious allegations have been made against some ministers.

As many more Ministers expressed their reservation on the ‘media trail’ in recent past, the Speaker said “I will give a ruling that media should disclose their sources”.

The Speaker said that he would announce his ruling over the issue and give direction to the media.

Even Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar also expressed his reservations over the "source- based stories" appearing in media.

When PDP MLA Nizam-uddin Bhat pointed that the matter cannot be decided in Assembly and it should be taken up with the Press Council of India, Lone said that "media is under his control and they will have to reveal their sources".

Protesting against this comment the mediamen walked out of the press gallery and boycotted the proceedings. They sat on dharna outside the Assembly complex in protest against the Speaker's comment.

The journalists demanded that Lone's statement be expunged from proceedings.

They said that the freedom of press cannot be undermined by the Speaker.

“They cannot gag the voice of the media by these tactics they cannot gag our voice. We always raise the issues of common and the corruption at various levels in the administration”, said a media person.