PANAJI
The Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ) has called off its indefinite protest after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and ESG vice-chairman Subhash Phaldesai assured the Union that media will be allowed to cover the closing ceremony of the 52nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI).The Chief Minister told GUJ president Rajtilak Naik that the media will be formally allowed to cover the IFFI closing scheduled for November 28. Phaldesai, on the other hand, said during a press conference that there was a communication gap which led to media persons being denied entry for the IFFI opening.
The Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ) had joined hands with the Photo Journalists Association Goa (PJAG) and Electronic Media Association to protest against the Central government’s decision to sell IFFI broadcasting rights to a private company and deny entry to the mainstream media to cover the inaugural ceremony on Saturday.
Calling the act as an attack on the freedom of expression of the Fourth Pillar, the photojournalists and video journalists put down their cameras in protest outside the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Taleigao, venue for the inaugural ceremony, on Saturday. GUJ has thanked the State government for intervening and resolving the issue in the interest of the local media.
