BJP Party, Public Relations Department tiff over media pass

KOZHIKODE: The media is not having the best of times at the meetings of the BJP national council. Instead, confusion reigns as   far as covering the programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is concerned. While the organisers of the meetings were trying to bring the events  under their control, the adamant stand taken by the BJP media committee caused headache to the media personnel.

On a direction from the security officials, the Information and Public Relations Department (PRD) had made all arrangements to issue separate passes for the PM’s programme. But on Thursday, the media committee of the national council insisted that they would issue all the entry passes. A press release also was issued by the organisers saying that all passes would be issued only through the organising committee.    The PRD also had informed through email that they were not issuing passes in connection with the PM’s visit and instead shifted the same to the organising committee.

However, on Friday everything took a U-turn with the SPG saying that they will not let the media  in the protected area without the passes issued through the official channel of Information and Public Relations Department. This forced the PRD officials to run to the office of City Police Commissioner for late night arrangements for issuing passes through the official channel. Countless media personnel from across the country were on a last-minute attempt to ensure their entry passes for the PM's programnes.