Journalists boycott NEC plenary session in Shillong

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 23, 2021

Journalists on Saturday decided to boycott the two-day plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC).

The decision was taken at an emergent meeting of the Shillong Press Club (SPC) after journalists were not allowed to cover the inaugural address of the Union home minister, Amit Shah.

Members of the fourth estate were told to cover only the lighting of the lamp ceremony by Shah and were later requested to leave the NEC auditorium which was packed with a host of dignitaries and officials from the different North eastern states.

Some of the journalists have expressed resentment over such an arrangement in view of the fact that the invitation sent by the DIPR to respective media houses was for “extending coverage for the plenary session”.

Never in the invitation was it mentioned that the press would only be allowed to witness a lighting of the ceremonial lamp by the union home minister.

Moreover, journalists also expressed concern over the decision of the NEC to allow only 10 media persons to cover the event despite the invitation sent to respective media houses had clearly mentioned the need to furnish the name of one reporter from each organization for covering the event.

Meanwhile, the SPC has also decided to soon send a letter of protest to the NEC authority on the incident.