Kohima, February 19 (MTNews): Following a disagreement with the state BJP media cell convener over a press release on the visit of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to the state on February 17 to address election rallies, the Kohima Press Club has written to the BJP Nagaland State Unit President, Temjen Imna Along expressing shock over the party’s state media cell convener in ‘Press 4 BJP Nagaland’ WhatsApp group for using ‘uncouth language’ and ‘display of total disregard for journalists’.
The KPC stated that on February 18, when a couple of senior journalists urged the state BJP media team to ensure that whatever goes out to the media is factually correct, irrespective of whosoever in the party issues a press release, the BJP media cell convener reacted with ‘unwarranted aggression’ to the point of even calling them out for a fight.
According to the KPC, the exchange of views in the group heated up after one journalist lightheartedly asked the media cell convener to stay updated about her party activities so that wrong information is not disseminated to the media.
It was also mentioned that the BJP state media cell even told the journalists that they were welcome to leave the WhatsApp group.
Therefore, calling out the ‘uncalled-for virtual harassment’ and the ‘aggression displayed’ by the party functionary, the KPC asked the state’s senior BJP leadership to clarify if journalists should expect such behavior from the party’s media team and also to clarify whether the behavior displayed by the media cell convener of a national political party like the BJP is the new norm.
It may be noted that the press release forwarded by the state BJP media cell convener mentioned that the Union Minister addressed two election rallies in Mon town and Wozuro in Wokha district whereas, in actuality he could not attend the latter. However, some media houses which used the press release from the state BJP media cell ended up publishing factually inaccurate news.
