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‘Emergency in Karnataka’: BJP attacks Congress government for restricting media access in Vidhana Soudha

Statesman News Service

Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka (File photo: IANS)


The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of adopting “Emergency-like” measures after fresh restrictions were placed on media persons inside the State Legislature complex (Vidhana Soudha).

The controversy erupted after the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) issued a directive regulating the movement of media personnel inside the State Legislature complex. Under the new guidelines, journalists have been instructed to conduct interviews with legislators only at a designated area, the portico near the West Gate, and to refrain from following the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers, or other dignitaries within the building for comments.

Reacting sharply, Leader of the Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka said, “This is an emergency situation in Karnataka.” He alleged that the move reflected an “authoritarian attitude” aimed at covering up the government’s failures, blunders and corruption.

Ashoka questioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the decision, invoking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his criticism. He argued that limiting media access is unconstitutional and suggested the government was afraid of more irregularities being exposed.

“Mr. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in the red Constitution book that your supreme leader Rahul Gandhi carries around and displays everywhere, is there no provision for freedom of the press? Or are you afraid that more irregularities will be exposed, such as the recent case of theft involving lakhs of rupees worth of gold and cash from the office of your close aide and Minister Byrathi Suresh, which was brought to light by the media?” Ashoka said.

Calling Vidhana Soudha the “people’s House,” Ashoka asserted that nobody has the authority to curtail journalists’ access within the Legislature complex. He demanded immediate withdrawal of the directive and urged the government to uphold the freedom of the media.

State BJP President BY Vijayendra also condemned the decision, saying it reinforced public perceptions of incompetence of the Congress government. He questioned the rationale behind the move and linked it to what he described as a broader pattern of decisions that, in his view, weaken democratic norms.

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