Karnataka media gag: CM Yediyurappa tweets in favour of media, later deletes it

A day after Karnataka Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri passed an order banning private channel cameras inside the Assembly for the winter session, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tweeted in favour of the media. However, the tweet was quickly deleted in a few minutes, revealing the lack of consensus over the move within the ruling BJP. 

'My government is always committed to freedom of media. I will make a sincere effort and request speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri to reconsider his decision on barring media from telecasting the house proceedings' tweeted the Chief Minister. The tweet was removed from his feed soon after. The order restricts the entry of journalists into the assembly with their cameras or phones and asks channels to take a live feed from Doordarshan. 

The opposition Congress was quick to target the government accusing it of muzzling the freedom of the press. 

'The U turn policy of @BJP4Karnataka are in the fore again. While in opposition BJP used to shed crocodile tears for Free media @BSYBJP had threatened to go no dharna for freedom of the press. When in power media has been barred from streaming the assembly session, Such a shameful act' said a tweet from the Congress. 

'Is blocking journalists an attempt to protect the BJP's blue boys from being caught again?' tweeted Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition in assembly. 

The former Chief Minister was referring to a 2012 incident where three BJP MLAs, Laxman Savadi, CC Patil and Krishna Palemar had been caught watching porn in the assembly leading to their resignations. While Savadi is now Dy CM of Karnataka, Patil is the Minister for Mines and Geology in the state cabinet.