After a video journalist was allegedly assaulted by a guard in Parliament premises, the minister had to step in to calm tempers
After a video journalist was allegedly assaulted by a guard in Parliament premises, the minister had to step in to calm tempers
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni is one of the more articulate politicians around, but it took her more than forty minutes on Thursday to settle a dispute involving Parliament security personnel and some journalists.
Calming effect: Ambika Soni had to step in to make peace after a
videojournalist was allegedly attacked by a guard. pics/mid day
The drama began when a member of the watch-and-ward staff at the Parliament allegedly abused and beat-up a video journalist of a national English news channel. Posted at gate number 12, the entry point used by members of Rajya Sabha, the security guard mistook the cameraperson for a driver and asked him to move away a car parked between gate number 12 and gate number 1. The two gates are adjacent to each other at a distance of about 25 metres.
When the cameraperson told him that it was not his car and he was not a driver but a member of a media crew, the guard allegedly started him abusing. When the former told him that he would complain about his act to his seniors, the guard took him to a corner inside the Parliament building through gate number 12 and allegedly started beating him, away from the eyes of the CCTV cameras. "I shouted for help and managed to run outside, where other fellow media persons come forward to help me," said Laltendu Jena, the victim.
Mediapersons gathered there demanded an apology from the guard but in vain. In the meantime many Rajya Sabha MPs including Prakash Javadekar, Janardan Dwivedi, Rajiv Shukla, Rashid Alvi and ministers including Ajay Maken, A K Antony used entered through the gate and assured the journalists that they would take up the matter with the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
But, finally it was Ambika Soni, who sat together with mediapersons for close to forty minutes and assured them that she won't leave until the security guard apologised. Deputy leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha SS Ahluwalia requested the minister to leave assuring her that he would sort out the matter. Later Left leader D Raja also joined them to try and resolve the problem.
It took the three veteran politicians more than half-an-hour to get the guard ready to apologise, but on the condition that all the cameras would be switched off.
The Information and Broadcasting Minister virtually played the role of a school teacher as she made sure that both parties shook hands in her presence. "If it were my home, I would have definitely offered you all a good meal," the minister said to all concerned before getting into her car.
Marshal law?
The watch-and-ward staff are responsible for the security of the inner precincts of the Parliament complex and monitor the entrances to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers.
Even marshals are picked among them on the basis of their perceived physical ability to lift MPs out of the House with ease, if necessary.
"The marshals are trained to lead the MPs gently out of the House. But if the need arises, they may have to physically lift them. They need to be strong enough to do that easily, and gently, without hurting the MP," the official said.
As watch-and-ward staff have to repeatedly interact with MPs in the Parliament complex, it is expected that they would do everything to ensure the dignity of the House and behave gently unlike the regular cops, who are trained to deal with a rowdy rally.
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