By RINA
Badaun: On the one hand the Election Commission of India is trying its level best for conducting the 2009 Lok Sabha Elections in peaceful and transparent manner. While on the other it has issued election coverage passes to only a select few of the newspapers. This has raised question marks on the transparent organization of the electronic elections as well as severely damaged the credibility of the District Information Office. These orders were passed by the District Information Director V.N. Aggarwal.
According to details available, keeping in view the approaching dates of the elections when some of the reporters enquired from the District Information Director Mr. V.N. Aggarwal about the election coverage passes he gave a very unsatisfactory answer that these passes will be issued to only the well established newspapers and magazines and electronic news T.V. Channels and no other reporter of any other newspaper and magazine either of Urdu or Hindi will be issued the election coverage passes.
When confronted specifically about Urdu newspapers/magazines the District Information Director Mr. V.N. Aggarwal explained that there is a very little Urdu knowing and even less Urdu reading population in the District so there is no need to issue election coverage passes to reporters of Urdu newspapers and magazines. However, it is interesting to note that the State government and Central government is promoting and encouraging Urdu language at all levels while on the other hand the District officers are indulging in criminal negligence with respect to Urdu.