The Odisha authorities has banned the entry of journalists to colleges in some areas after information channels confirmed how college students have been poor in arithmetic, triggering a political row. According to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, press is the fourth pillar of democracy, and can’t be stopped from coming into a public establishment.
The Dhenkanal District Education Officer (DEO) has directed Block Education Officers and faculty headmasters to not enable unauthorised entry of journalists into faculties and school rooms, and to report such issues to the police. The same directive was additionally issued within the Kendrapara district.
The resolution was taken after some information channels confirmed how class 5 college students have been unable to remember tables in arithmetic, official sources stated.
“It is inappropriate to impose restrictions on media’s entry into school campuses. In a democratic setup, a school is a public institution. Media should not create disturbance in the process of learning, but the fourth pillar of democracy cannot be denied entry into campuses for the purpose of collecting news,” Pradhan stated. “It is unfortunate and the order should be withdrawn immediately,” Aparajta Sarangi, BJP MPsaid.
According to Suresh Routray, senior Congress MLA, it was not the primary time that such restrictions have been imposed on journalists. “They are yet to get entry into the assembly in the name of COVID-19. Journalists have been denied entry to the state secretariat for two years and also the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack,” he stated.
Defending the federal government, School and Mass Education Minister SR Dash stated the press has the fitting to focus on wrongs, however reporters of some net portals have been coming into campuses with out permission and disturbing the environment of the colleges. Different journalist associations within the state additionally opposed the transfer, demanding its roll again.
With inputs from PTI.
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Source: www.financialexpress.com”