Even as the recent directive to restrict the 'unauthorised' entry of mediapersons into school campuses in the State came under fire from opposition parties, the School and Mass Education Minister defended the decision on Sunday.
Congress leader Suresh Routray said it is not the first time that such restrictions have been imposed on journalists. Earlier, the entry of journalists had been restricted into the State Assembly, Secretariat and SCB Medical College Hospital.
He alleged that these steps were being taken to suppress corruption and now the media is not allowed inside school campuses.
Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said, “I am surprised over the DEO and BEOs’ letters. It is the duty of the journalists to show whenever there are some irregularities or wrongs.”
Sarangi further said that during her tenure as Education Secretary ‘no punishment zones’ were created and “we had asked journalists to visit schools and report if there were any violations”. The present order must be withdrawn forthwith,” she added.
However, in his response, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash blamed web channels for the mess.
“Media has the right to show what is wrong. However, some media personnel are also disturbing the academics by entering the campuses. It is not only the media, our department is also aware of the lacuna that we have.”
According to Dash, several non-registered web channels' reporters are unnecessarily interfering. “I am aware of the letter issued by BEOs and the way teachers and students are being tortured in the name of media is not justified,” he added.