JAMMU: Taking offence of the allegation leveled by the ‘official spokesperson’ with regard to some editor seeking invitation for his family members for the ‘At Home’ hosted by Governor N N Vohra on Republic Day, the media fraternity has expressed anguish and urged the Raj Bhawan to look into the entire gamut for putting the record straight.
“The official spokesman should identify the editor”, said a senior Jammu based journalist, adding that the concerned agency, charged with the responsibility of inviting media fraternity, cannot hide behind the excuse of inviting all the journalists, representing cross-section of the media in Jammu and Kashmir despite ‘last minute changes in the venue’.
“This itself speaks that the agency concerned had been fine-tuning the list upto the last moment though the cards had been issued well before the weather took ugly turn”, the senior journalist said. He added that had the weather forecast been pre-empted by the department, necessary changes about the venue would have been incorporated in the invitation card itself.
“The media fraternity hopes the Raj Bhawan to take a call on the developments taking place post-At Home function, as any kind of acrimony has potential of souring the media-government relations”, he said while expressing dismay over the department which has distributed the cards to media, changing stances by shifting blame for distribution of cards sometimes to Divisional Commissioner’s office and at times to Deputy Commissioner’s office. The facts, however, he said, would unfold only after Raj Bhawan looks into the matter thoroughly.
When contacted Director Information and Public Relations Dr Shahid Iqbal expressed ignorance about any official statement issued by his department today. “I may have to check up as today I was away from the station on some pressing engagement.’ Dr Shahid said.