The Reserve Bank of India restricted journalists working for British news outlets - The Economist, BBC and some Indian media organisation from attending its press conference regarding its monetary review policy held on Wednesday.
Amazing to go from being granted interviews of @RBI governor in June to excluded from press conferences in November, no warning/explanation
— Stanley Pignal (@spignal) December 7, 2016
Stanley Pingal, a journalist working for The Economist tweeted, “Amazing to go from being granted interviews of @RBI governor in June to excluded from press conferences in November, no warning/explanation.”
In a previous tweet, Stanley said, “I've been critical of new governor not speaking to press, did not expect RBI to freeze us out of press conference. It's their call obviously.”
I've been critical of new governor not speaking to press, did not expect RBI to freeze us out of press conference. It's their call obviously
— Stanley Pignal (@spignal) December 7, 2016
In subsequent tweets, Pignal stated that the RBI spokesperson said that the blacklisting had nothing to do with The Economist’s coverage on the Central Bank.
RBI spokeswoman says decision to exclude me has nothing to do with @TheEconomist (critical) coverage of demonetisation.
— Stanley Pignal (@spignal) December 7, 2016
Apart from Pingal, BBC journalist Sameer Hashmi was also not allowed to attend the press conference.
Even the BBC has not been allowed for the press conference. Indeed a sad day for transparency https://t.co/Fio28kCyHi
— Sameer Hashmi (@sameerhashmi) December 7, 2016
The central bank however, said the decision to not allow certain journalists for the press meet was only due to space constraint.
However, Shashi Shekhar, a Prasar Bharati member tweeted, “Meanwhile we hear some economic magazine from a small Island across the globe got ignored by the Central Bank of a nation of a Billion .....”
Meanwhile we hear some economic magazine from a small Island across the globe got ignored by the Central Bank of a nation of a Billion .....
— Shashi Shekhar (@shashidigital) December 7, 2016