Ministers, both Central and State, visiting the Port City often do not have a scheduled press briefing forcing the media persons to chase the visiting VIPs. A recent visit of Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju to participate in a social event saw the media mob him even before the programme ended. Even as one of the organisers was presenting a vote of thanks, reporters of electronic media mobbed the stage not allowing the Minister to move. Other VIPs seated on the dais felt embarrassed, waited for a while and then moved away quietly. This forced other reporters to crane their necks in an attempt to catch what was being said lest they miss some important announcement.
The behaviour of the media persons driven by compulsions of competition left the organisers red-faced. The overzealous newsgathering efforts of the media persons did not bear fruition. The questions posed were pedestrian and evoked equally lacklustre response.
Either the organisers should schedule a time slot for media interaction when they invite a VIP or the media persons should learn to not breach decorum.
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Proper scheduling
AP Health Minister Kamineni Srinivasa Rao, who was in the city to interact with corporate honchos on their Corporate Social Responsibility activities, especially with reference to the King George Hospital, finished the review and started his media briefing unaware that most media persons were outside waiting to be invited. The district administration, which released the schedule of the visit of the Minister, did not mention clearly about the media briefing and so the officials were clueless whether or not media should be allowed inside.
Leaving a major chunk of the media waiting outside for clarification on the subject, the Minister started his briefing and quickly wrapped it up. By the time the media persons, who were interacting with other VIPs outside, rushed in, the conference was over and the Minister left without answering questions on issues like the long wait for official opening of Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences and ‘ghost faculty’ in Government medical colleges during the recent MCI inspections.
MLAs draw flak
Local Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders are up in arms against MLAs who are ignoring their duties which helped them win general elections a year ago. They openly expressed their displeasure when the MLAs celebrated successful completion of one year. Many local leaders nurture hopes of getting nominated posts but the local people’s representatives maintain a stoic silence after their proposals were rejected by the government. Labour Minister Atchannaidu says the party high command would do justice 'very soon'. But only a few are willing to believe such assurances.
(With inputs from B. Madhu Gopal, G. Narasimha Rao and K. Srinivas Rao)