At a time when the concerns that the coronavirus started spreading into the community are rising, the decision to organise media conferences on political issues have drawn flak today.
Media persons from the print and electronic media along with photographers and camera men rushed to the press conference called by Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath at Lake View Guest House on Saturday forenoon.
However when Mr. Rajendranath spoke about the ‘politically motivated decision of the State Election Commissioner’ to postpone the local body elections in Andhra Pradesh citing coronavirus and alleged political violence, some media persons at the end of media conference said they did not expect a Minister to call media persons to make them listen to political rhetoric.
When everyone, right from the Prime Minister, is asking people to maintain social distance to curb the spread of the disease, one should not encourage gathering of people unless it is unavoidable. “You could have simply issued a press release about what you spoke today as it was already said by several others for the past few days. We rushed here hoping to hear about the actions being taken by your government to tackle coronavirus,” a media person said.
The Minister responded that their government is taking all measures about containing the spread of the virus. But the issue he raised was also important- a person holding the constitutional post of SEC taking decisions to postpone local body elections without even informing the State government.
