Omar comes to rescue of journos in J&K assembly

JAMMU: Tech-savvy former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah on Friday came to the rescue of media persons in the Legislative Assembly.

While rationalising that mobiles were imperative in today’s age of information technology, he compelled deputy speaker Nazir Gurezi to withdraw his order of banning mobile phones in the press gallery.

In the middle of proceedings, Gurezi while pointing towards press gallery said, “Don’t use mobile phones otherwise I won’t allow you with phones in the House.”

After some of the journalists sent messages to National Conference (NC) MLA from Nagrota Devender Singh Rana expressing their resentment, the latter informed the chair that times have changed.

At this stage, NC leader Omar asked Rana to sit and took it upon himself to speak over the issue.

On a point of order, Omar said, “It’s a bygone era when newspaper offices used to wait for hours together for reports. Mobiles are the most convenient instruments of communication and to bar journalists from using them for reporting assembly proceedings tantamounts to denying their right to carry out professional duties.”

While Gurezi was quick to withdraw his order, he said that some of the journalists were talking over their phones that disturbed some of the MLAs.

Omar’s intervention was responded with thumping of desks by the media persons in the press gallery. HTC