A day earlier than elections for the Press Membership of India’s (PCI) governing physique, the marketing campaign appears to be heating up as candidates guarantee members have determined who to vote for. The largest agenda on the desk stays the state of press and media freedom in India and the necessity to defend journalists from persecution. With two factions rising, the incumbent panel appears to be squaring off with rivals who may put a spanner of their plans.
The elections are slated to be held on Saturday, with 4,532 members eligible to vote.
Within the administration committee’s room Thursday, the incumbent panel’s candidates had been busy calling members. “We’ve stored the membership as vibrant and inclusive as doable,” mentioned Gautam Lahiri, the present PCI President, including, “The administration committee ensures yearly we have now a vernacular journalist, video journalists, {a magazine} journalist, and a photojournalist included. We’ve labored arduous to incorporate vernacular journalists from the South and the Urdu information… we hope members have seen our efforts.”
The incumbent panel’s marketing campaign hinges on a draft invoice which they hope to push ought to they arrive to energy. The Media Transparency (and Accountability) Invoice, 2024, requires the institution of a Nationwide Media Council – a consultant physique – to supervise complaints in opposition to media retailers. It additionally goals to offer provisions in opposition to monetary coercion by authorities commercial and lack of transparency in possession. “We’re asking for continuity from our members so we are able to pursue this invoice,” mentioned Lahiri.
It additionally hopes to work in the direction of making a sub-committee to look into growing girls’s memberships. Infrastructurally, it plans to conduct common workshops and seminars for upskilling.
Nonetheless, opposing candidates mentioned the standard of amenities offered within the membership has dipped. “We’ve been asking for higher chairs for months… Earlier they used to serve tea created from good high quality manufacturers, even that has been ruined…,” mentioned Naresh Gupta, who’s contesting for the Treasurer submit.
Candidates even have complaints concerning the arbitrary improve in costs of meals and drinks served within the membership. “Earlier even a 50 paisa improve in costs can be notified to the members… now nothing of that kind is completed,” mentioned Arun Sharma, who’s the opposing Presidential candidate. He gives a discount in meals and alcoholic drink costs as a part of his marketing campaign guarantees.
His brilliant orange pamphlet winked from nearly each desk within the membership — “Ek baar vishwas toh karke dekhein” (Consider in us simply as soon as) is his slogan. In his lengthy checklist of guarantees, he commits to beautify the membership, increase safety in opposition to entry of non-members, guarantees medical insurance coverage to members, amongst different issues.
“We have now no plans to scrap the (media) invoice,” he mentioned, including, “However we’ll conduct a overview.”
Members, too, appeared to separate alongside these fault traces. “There ought to be alternate options… For the previous few years, there was some very one-sided vitriol from a sure panel,” mentioned Neelam Mahajan Singh, a veteran journalist. “I would like a greater setting within the membership. It ought to be completely for journalists, it ought to create a safer and open setting for girls and youthful journalists,” Singh added.
Members Shabana and Saifullah Siddique had been perplexed by the allegation that ladies members don’t really feel protected on the membership. “Girls are protected right here. After 7 pm, folks wish to drink however I’ve hardly ever seen any fights or brawls get away,” mentioned Siddique.
“I’ve voted 4 occasions right here… They’ve (the present panel) has labored fairly nicely. They’re supportive of the workers… As for costs, how can the membership assist it? If charges are inflated exterior, it’ll have an effect on the costs right here,” mentioned Shabana.
Nonetheless, Amit Malhotra, a member of greater than 20 years, was unimpressed by the panel’s work: “I’ve not seen any enchancment in amenities within the final 20 years. They might a minimum of make a greater leisure space or add some video games… as an alternative, we have now those self same outdated carrom boards.”
