Karnataka Media Gag: CM deletes tweet in support of media

A day after Karnataka Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri passed an order banning private channel cameras inside the Assembly for the winter session, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tweeted in favour of the media. He ended up deleting it soon after.

The tweet was deleted in a few minutes, bringing to light the lack of agreement over the move within the ruling party BJP.

The tweet read:

"My government is always committed to freedom of media. I will make a sincere effort and request speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri to reconsider his decision on barring media from telecasting the house proceedings."

The order restricts the entry of journalists into the assembly with their cameras or phones. It adds that the channels should take a live feed from Doordarshan.

Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition in assembly tweeted:

'The U turn policy of @BJP4Karnataka are in the fore again. While in opposition BJP used to shed crocodile tears for Free media @BSYBJP had threatened to go no dharna for freedom of the press. When in power media has been barred from streaming the assembly session, Such a shameful act' said a tweet from the Congress.

Is blocking journalists an attempt to protect the BJP's blue boys from being caught again?'

The former CM was referring to a 2012 incident where three BJP MLAs, Laxman Savadi, CC Patil and Krishna Palemar had been caught watching porn in the assembly leading to their resignations. Currently, Savadi is now Deputy CM of Karnataka, Patil is the Minister for Mines and Geology in the state cabinet.