In Kolkata colleges posters have been put up stating that on procurement of enrolement forms for Rs 500, a press card for freelannce journalists will be 'issued'.
KOLKATA: Now anyone can avail a press card for a paltry sum of Rs 500!
Believe it or not this is what is going around the city colleges, where posters have been put up stating that on procurement of enrolement forms for Rs 500, a press card for freelannce journalists for a 'yet to be published' magazine 'India TV News' and 'yet to be aired' TV channel 'Suvidha' will be 'issued'.
Arun Kumar Lunia alias Arun Jain, flashed his 'Press' card with the words 'Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Government of India, and Press Information Bureau, Licensing Branch, Kolkata' written in front and back of the card.
The card also shows a 'Life Time' validity.
When confronted, Lunia claimed that he had supporting documents.
Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy said, "This is an absolute fraud and we will proceed against the offender."
Upon verifying with the Press Information Bureau, a spokesperson said that it had no licensing branch or had no authority to issue any press card.
A member of the West Bengal Press Card Accreditation Committee also confirmed that no house card can have either I&B Ministry or PIB's name, other than the one issued for PIB journalists.
Moreover, press cards can only be issued by the West Bengal government in this state and that too after the reporter has had three years' experience of reporting and comes from a bonafide publication house/TV-radio Channel. The card is valid for one year and has to be renewed after that.
One such poster was put up at a reputed Missionary College in South Kolkata and money was being collected by a student co-ordinating for Lunia.
Upon being detected, an undertaken was given by Lunia that he would not repeat this offence again and the student, who had been suspended before by the college authorities on disciplinary grounds, struck off the college roster.
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