Posted by New Delhi: An Australian journalist Avani Dias claimed that she was forced to leave India ahead of the first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha Elections. She had alleged that she was not allowed to cover the elections and that she was told that her Visa can not be extended. The reason she claimed the government gave was that “her reporting had crossed a line.” However the Union government has denied all such charges.
Indian government rebuts journalist’s claims
Following the allegations by Dias, the Indian government has issued a clarification. The government said that the claims of the journalist who works as the South Asia Correspondent of Australian Broadcasting Corporation(ABC), that she was not allowed to cover elections and was compelled to leave the country is “not correct, misleading and mischievous.”
According to sources, Dias was found to have violated visa rules while undertaking her professional pursuits. Despite this when she requested, she was assured that her visa would be extended for the coverage of the general elections. Her previous visa was valid till April 20, 2024. The government further claimed that the visa was in fact extended after she paid the visa fees on April 18. But she still left the country on April 20. According to the government, when the journalist left the country she did hold a valid Visa, as the Visa had already been extended.
The government further said that the claim of Dias not being allowed to cover the General Elections is also incorrect. This is so because coverage of election activities outside of booths is permitted to all journalist Visa holders. Journalists require permission only if they need to access polling booths or counting centres. But the rules do not permit this permission to be given while the Visa extension is in process. The government then went on to give examples of 2 journalists, Meghna Bali and Som Patidar, who have been given the permission letters.