By Dabirah Hassan
Srinagar- A press conference held by Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Srinagar on Thursday began on a contentious note due to the exclusion of local media.
Local reporters were initially barred from entering the venue, with access granted only to select national media outlets. This led to significant frustration among the local press, who were left waiting for nearly an hour outside the venue.
“We were shocked and disappointed to see that local journalists were not allowed inside while national media was granted access,” a local journalist present on the occasion said.
“It felt like our role and contribution to local news were being disregarded.”
The situation escalated as some reporters expressed their dissatisfaction with the arrangement. This prompted intervention from senior Congress leaders, who eventually persuaded the local media to attend the briefing.
“It was only after a lot of persuasion that we were allowed in,” said another local journalist. “The whole episode showed a lack of respect for the local media, especially for senior journalists from the valley. We are not beggars, we came here after a formal invitation.”
The press conference proceeded after the intervention, where Kharge and Gandhi addressed the media on key issues related to the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Despite the initial chaos, the event resumed with a focus on the party’s strategy and commitment to the region.
“From the party side there were no restrictions. We had requested to allow all genuine journalists,” Ravinder Sharma, vice president and chief spokesperson of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), told Kashmir Observer.
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