The Editors Guild of India on Wednesday condemned the Union finance ministry’s curbs on journalists’ access to officials and asked it to withdraw the “gag” order on media freedom.
Restrictions have been imposed by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the entry of journalists to the ministry building in New Delhi. Sitharaman’s office has said there is “no ban” on the entry of journalists but a procedure has been introduced for “streamlining and facilitating” the entry.
But the Guild asked the minister to withdraw the order. Shekhar Gupta, president of Editors Guild of India, said in a statement: “This order is a gag on media freedom and can even result in further fall in India’s global press freedom ranking, especially as the contagion can easily spread to other ministries as well.
“If the finance minister believes that journalists’ access to government offices was causing some inconveniences, the system could be improved in discussion with journalist.”
Urging the government to immediately revoke the ban, in a joint statement from the Indian Women Press Corps, Press Association, Press Club of India, South Asian Women in Media and the Media Foundation said “news and information gathering is the fundamental duty of a journalist and the decision of the ministry to restrict journalist from accessing information totally goes against it and this means that journalists are being prevented from doing their fundamental as well as professional duty.”
In the clarification, Sitharaman’s office had said: “Entry of media persons, including those holding PIB (Press Information Bureau) accredited card, will be on the basis of prior appointment. No other restrictions have been imposed on their entry inside MoF, North Block. The media persons can seek an appointment with the officer/s to meet them. Media persons holding a PIB card will not require a separate entry pass after the appointment is fixed.”
The clarification said the journalists in their very first meeting had requested the finance minister to allot them a separate waiting room to make their reporting hassle-free and convenient. It was also pointed out that lack of a separate room forced them to wait in the corridors to meet the officials.
“As per the directions of the Hon’ble FM, adequate arrangements have been made for media persons outside Gate no.2, North Block, in the form of an air-conditioned waiting room where at regular intervals water, tea, coffee etc. are being provided. Facilities for comfortable seating and charging of electronic equipment have also been provided,” it added.
Some ministry officers were of the view that journalists loiter in the corridors and accost officers with their queries whenever they step out of the room, adding to the work pressure as facing the media all through the day is not part of their daily duty. This had perhaps triggered the issuance of the directive to seek appointments.
“The Guild has no dispute with the ministry that journalist should behave with restraint and responsibility while enjoying their access to the finance ministry. But a blanket order is not the answer,” Gupta’s statement said.
The Guild said “journalists do not go to government offices to enjoy the comforts and hospitality of visitors’ room designated for them. They go to perform their challenging job of news gathering. This order is a gag on media freedom….”
Each year, North Block remains out of bounds for journalists during a pre-budget quarantine period of about two months. This time, the quarantine was not lifted after the budget presentation.
Security guards posted at the entrance of the ministry informed journalists, who were carrying identity cards issued by the PIB, that they had not received any orders to lift the budget quarantine.
The PIB card, issued to journalist on the recommendation of media organisations and after due security clearance, allows access to all ministries and government buildings, barring that of intelligence and investigative agencies, the PMO and sections of defence and external affairs ministry.
