Congress MP Manickam Tagore has called on Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to lift the COVID-19 restrictions imposed on journalists covering Parliament. Tagore shared his concerns in a letter dated June 27, which he posted on 'X' on Sunday.
"Wrote to Hon @loksabhaspeaker to lift Covid restrictions on journalists covering Parliament. Established journalists are being restricted in the name of curbs. It's time to restore media access and give them their rightful place," Tagore stated in his post.
In his letter to Speaker Birla, Tagore highlighted that several journalists, many of whom have been covering Parliament for over a decade, are facing access restrictions under the guise of COVID-19 protocols.
"Preventing them from accessing the Parliament not only hampers their professional duties but also restricts the flow of accurate information to the public. In the interest of preserving the democratic ethos of our nation, it is imperative that all accredited reporters be allowed to cover the proceedings without any hindrance," the Congress MP wrote.
Further, the Congress MP from Virudhunagar also urged Speaker Birla to reconsider the current restrictions and allow full access to all accredited journalists. He emphasized that such a move would reinforce India's commitment to a free press and ensure that democracy remains robust and transparent.
"I urge you to kindly reconsider the current restrictions and allow full access to all accredited journalists. Such a move will reinforce our commitment to a free press and ensure that our democracy remains robust and transparent," Tagore added.
