Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the hill state on Tuesday, and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur invited all journalists to cover it. He also announced that the government had withdrawn the official order requiring ‘certificate of character verification’ from media personnel covering the event. Hours after the Bilaspur district government requested character certificates from all journalists covering PM Modi’s state visit in order to obtain access and security passes, the Chief Minister gave clarification.
‘I invite all journalists to cover PM Modi’s visit to Himachal Pradesh on October 5. We have withdrawn the official order and sought an explanation from issuing official,’ Ramesh said in a statement to the news agency ANI.
The district administration’s circular, which urged government-run media representatives as well as privately-owned print, digital, and news television journalists to provide certificates of ‘character verification’ in order to cover the arrival of the prime minister, significantly stirred controversy.
‘The certificate of character verification may be supplied to the office of Deputy Superintendent of Police, CID Bilaspur by October 1,2022 positively. Their access within the rally or meeting will be decided by this office’ the notification said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Pankaj Pandit reacted on the news and said that in his 22-year career as a journalist, this is the first time he has seen such a bizarre demand. ‘Modi ji is not visiting the state first time. The demand to produce a character certificate is humiliating and an attempt to curb the media activities,’ Pandit said.
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