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| CM's Wazwan Diplomacy remarks irk media | | In bad taste.......say scribes, exposes his own weakness in media mgmt | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Mar 2: Even as the stand off between media and Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly ended with a clarification by the latter over his 'objectionable' remarks, the 'infamous Wazwan diplomacy' utterances of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on the floor of the House on Tuesday has not gone down well with in the journalist fraternity.
Omar's remarks came at a time when the entire media was at loggerheads with the Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone over his remarks about the freedom of Press and disclosure of 'sources' in the Lower House.
The Speaker on Monday had kicked up a controversy by saying that "media is working under his control and are bound to disclose their sources whenever they are asked to. They are answerable to this institution and are not at liberty to publish anything they want to."
The media persons including that from Kashmir region covering the Budget Session-2012 at once boycotted the Assembly proceeding and demanded that Speaker should expunge his remarks from the record.
The media persons of the State at this juncture were looking up to the Chief Minister for resolving the deadlock and finding a way out, however, Omar instead of mediating between the fourth estate and the Speaker went on to say that unlike former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, he was not skilled to engage media by hosting luncheon and dinner where 'Wazwan' is served to keep it in good humour.
Speaking to Early Times, some of the senior journalists termed the CM's remarks as highly objectionable and in bad taste.
"It is an attempt to belittle the professionalism of the media persons. The Chief Minister should have restrained from using such words," senior scribes said
"Omar Abdullah should not have given such a statement… If CM wanted to say anything, he should have given a deep thought over it…. It was his grand father late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who started 'Goshtaba' diplomacy," Ashwani Kumar, Bureau Chief, Aaj Tak said
"Before talking of 'Wazwan' diplomacy, Omar Abdullah should not forget that during the last Budget session when he had to reply on Governor's address, a luncheon was floated in the assembly lawns… If he doesn't believe in such things then whey a lunch was hosted for the journalists," he added.
Ashwani further maintained, "The journalists had nothing against the CM; they were annoyed only with the Speaker's utterances… Omar was probably perturbed over the media boycott of Assembly proceedings and the failure of his point men to break the ice particularly when he had to speak on the motion of thanks on the Governor's address, that's why he made such a statement."
The 'well behaved' and 'sober' CM during his speech had said, "My colleagues often tell me to copy media management from Mufti Sayeed, who employs all sorts of methods to engage media, including throwing lavish lunches and dinners with Wazwan. But I tell them I am not of that stuff, who can pretend to be one outwardly and the other inwardly."
Terming the CM's statement as 'ill conceived' and the one which exposed his own weaknesses as far as media management is concerned, the senior editor of Kashmir Uzma, Riyaz Mallik said that Omar should have avoided such remarks on the floor of the House.
"Those who are seasoned politicians know the art of managing the media in a proper manner… It is an art which is not bad at all ….. By taking a dig at Mufti Sayeed for his media management skills, the Chief Minister Omar in a way has revealed that he is not a good media manager … Omar has made public his own weaknesses and made his own fun on the floor of the House," Riyaz Mallik said.
If Riyaz was critical of Omar's bad media management, another senior journalist Pradeep Dutta, Bureau Chief, Times Now, made no bones about his displeasure over the CM's remarks.
Dutta said that Omar shouldn't have used such words; instead of looking at what has happened exactly he gave such an unnecessary statement.
"Omar's remarks were totally uncalled for a CM… He can not paint all the journalists with one brush…. No professional journalist would care for an official luncheon or dinner … We are least bothered for a Wazwan…. Rather than a Wazwan bite, we will prefer a good sound bite," Dutta quipped. |
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