Opposition is being “blacked out & censored” on Assembly TV, allege BJP and JD(S) MLAs as they raise the issue in the Karnataka assembly. They claim that visuals of Congress MLAs and ministers are displayed on giant TV screens inside and outside the assembly, while the opposition’s visuals, views, and comments are ignored, not unlike the Congress-led opposition in Parliament
BJP party symbol. (Photo: Facebook/@BJP4India)
It is almost a replay of the Parliament proceedings broadcast, where the opposition alleges a blackout of their speeches, voices, and images—only this time, the roles are reversed in the Karnataka assembly.
The Congress-led opposition in Parliament alleges that the telecast of proceedings in both houses is biased, with cameras often focusing on the Speaker or presiding officer while opposition leaders speak or protest.
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Likewise, in a similar complaint, the opposition BJP and JD(S) on Tuesday alleged that the ruling Congress in the state assembly was “blacking out” opposition members. The opposition MLAs alleged that the legislative assembly TV cameras show only ruling party members inside the house on giant TV screens set up inside and outside the assembly.
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Raising the issue, the Leader of the Opposition from the BJP, R Ashok, questioned whether the Assembly TV was the personal property of any particular party. He went on to say, “The Assembly TV is not the property of a particular party. It must show proceedings in an unbiased manner. The selective focus of the camera on ruling party members and Speaker U T Khader is not good.”
The similarity of the BJP and JD(S) accusations on TV coverage cannot be more striking when one compares the voice of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Karnataka assembly – except that the roles of the alleged “perpetuator” and the “victims” are reversed.
In the Lok Sabha, it is the Congress that claims to be a victim of the presiding officer’s alleged partisan directions on TV coverage, just like the BJP is doing in Karnataka by accusing the ruling party of manipulating TV coverage in the assembly, clips of which are often shared on social media.
When the entire opposition protested the alleged “censoring” of content on the assembly TV on Tuesday, Speaker UT Khader asserted that he had not given any direction to camerapersons to focus only on Congress members and ministers. He even adjourned the house for ten minutes to discuss the issue with the officials of the Information and Publicity department, who man the TV coverage.
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