The Hindu : BJP MLA misbehaves with DIPR chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 14, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

BJP MLA misbehaves with DIPR chief

By V.V. Subrahmanyam

HYDERABAD DEC. 13. The Director of Information & Public Relations, S. Balasubramaniam, was manhandled by the BJP MLA from Hanamakonda, M. Dharma Rao, and his followers when the official tried to prevent him from entering the media enclosure at the opening ceremony of the 32nd National Games at the GMC Balayogi main stadium in Gachibowli on Friday.

The unsavoury episode took place when the legislator accompanied by two other party legislators, K. Lakshman, and Parthasarathi, along with others were stopped by the security personnel. As the arguments continued, the IAS officer stepped in to explain that the box was exclusively meant for the media.

But the legislator was in no mood to listen to any reasoning. He threw some papers on the Director's face, pushed him around and started abusing him as his followers were being prevented from joining him. Fortunately Dr. K. Lakshman, intervened and tried to avoid a confrontation, though the end result was no different - humiliation for the officials.

But the damage was already done as a visibly startled Director had to retreat and a major embarrassment avoided thanks to a handful of vociferous media personnel who could realize the gravity of the situation and demanded that the two MLAs and their followers must be sent out of the media enclosure. Ultimately the public representatives had to beat a hasty retreat!

Yet, the big question remains. The 300-capacity box was meant only for the media. But within 20 minutes of the commencement of the ceremony, it was filled with non-media people.

A virtual free-for-all! Everyone who claimed to be a VIP was let in with family in tow. Consequently, there were more outsiders than media personnel.

And consider the plight of genuine sports journalists who have been following the event over the last one year and decided to skip the grand ceremony for fear of being denied entry for the once in-a-life-time occasion.

Ironically, just before the start of the ceremony, a top official was heard saying: "We have restricted the number of journalists from each newspaper only after devising a formula in view of the grand occasion and the fact that President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is the chief guest for the inaugural function."

And, where are those basic facilities required for photographers to transmit the pictures from the media centre itself? It may be recalled that about six months before the Games the lensmen had given a detailed list of equipment to be installed for the above purpose. No word yet on this. They still exist only on paper. Consequently, the lensmen had to rush back to the city to complete their job.

However, not everything has gone wrong here at the venue. For, the LED video display screen installed for the opening ceremony showed crisp, high-resolution video measuring 9 m in height and 12 m in width. It is made of RGB light emitting diode pixels, with 360 rows by 480 columns.

Each pixel has 48 bit control and can show 281 million billion colours. This is the first time ever in the country that such a facility was installed.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Kalam calls for empowerment of women

Security staff close gates on Mayor

BJP MLA misbehaves with DIPR chief

Ramulu creates a flutter

In sync with the spirit

OU caught in its own Web