Row erupts: Media barred from Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Samvidhan Samman Sammelan’ to be held in city

Nagpur: A controversy has erupted after it was announced that media access will be restricted at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Samvidhan Samman Sammelan’ in Nagpur on November 6, eliciting criticism from the BJP. Organised by the OBC Youth Rights Forum, the gathering will feature Gandhi addressing various social organisations and NGOs regarding constitutional values and social matters in Maharashtra.

Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar has confirmed that attendance would be limited to selected Congress and OBC leaders, as the gathering is private rather than an official party event. He noted that Gandhi had previously stipulated these access limitations.

BJP leaders denounced Gandhi for contravening democratic principles, with MLC Pravin Darekar criticising the media restrictions as detrimental to freedom of expression. “Excluding the press from a Constitution-themed event contradicts Congress’s proclaimed stance on media freedom,” he said, accusing Gandhi of muzzling the fourth estate, a fundamental democratic institution.

Other BJP leaders voiced similar misgivings, challenging the event’s transparency. They emphasised the paradox of excluding media from a gathering purportedly centred around constitutional values, suggesting it undermines the party’s proclaimed dedication to democratic principles.

As the assembly elections approach, the BJP had consistently accused Congress of disseminating misleading information regarding potential amendment of the Constitution under a BJP government, whilst maintaining that the grand old party has itself implemented numerous constitutional amendments. The restricted press access has intensified speculation regarding Congress’s motives, spurring discourse about the programme’s alignment with its ‘Constitutional Respect’ theme.

Municipal commissioner and administrator Abhijeet Chaudhari announced that the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) will permit the use of the Suresh Bhat Auditorium for political gatherings, provided all guidelines under the model code of conduct are strictly adhered to. With state assembly elections approaching, any party wishing to rent the auditorium must secure official permissions beforehand.

Chaudhari clarified that rental expenses for the venue must be accounted for in the respective party’s campaign expenditure, aligning with election regulations. The decision ensures that political groups have access to public facilities while maintaining transparency and compliance with election spending rules.

Courtesy : TOI

Note: This news is originally published in timesofindia.com and was used solely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights