Arunachal Pradesh: Journalists condemn media restriction at swearing-in of new APPSC members

The Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) and the Arunachal Press Club (APC) on Wednesday strongly condemned the restriction of media at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) members that was held earlier today. 

The statement was issued in the context of APPSC members' swearing-in-ceremony held at Raj Bhawan, where journalists were not allowed to cover the event 

The journalists were kept outside the Raj Bhavan gate by the security personnel stating they didn't receive any instructions to allow journalists to cover the swearing-in ceremony. 

The media bodies further alleged that the state government has neither sent an official invitation nor communication to the journalists to cover such an important event. 

"Not inviting journalists to the constitutional posts' swearing-in ceremony and conducting the event in a hush-hush manner itself is highly questionable," the state press bodies questioned.

The government and its functionaries should not overlook and undermine the role of media in a democratic set up. Passing  information  about such an important function to masses is foremost duty of the media, the state media bodies added.