Bhubaneswar: Journalists boycotted the Odisha Assembly proceedings Wednesday over restrictions to carry mobile phones to the press gallery inside the House.
Though no official notification has been issued debarring journalists from carrying mobile phones inside the House, the security personnel deployed at the entry gates 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 and staged a dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the assembly premises demanding the withdrawal of the restrictions.
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.
However, the journalists said they were entitled to take photographs and videos of the proceedings during the Question Hour.
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.
“The action is not acceptable. They have suspended a senior member of the opposition and are now restricting journalists,” Sahoo said.
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.
Government chief whip Saroj Pradhan later held a meeting with the agitating journalists and discussed the matter.
