BJD MP from Sambalpur Nagendra Pradhan today berated TV journalists as they sought the byte of the Collector first during Veer Surendra Sai’s birth anniversary celebration here in the city today.
“Tell me, who is more important? People’s representative or bureaucrat? Is Chief Secretary important or Chief Minister? Who are the TV journalists to decide whether a bureaucrat will speak first or representative?” asked Pradhan in a raised voice.
Asking the reporters to record his byte, the MP said the representatives formulate the legislation and the officers are appointed only to execute them. He refused to give any statement to the journalists until the media personnel sought an apology from him.
The parliamentarian accused the journalists of getting advertisements from the Collectors for their respective media houses. “You all preferred the byte of Collector first because you get advertisement from him. We know better than the bureaucrats as we are making schemes. Can’t we clarify on that?” Pradhan asked.
His reaction came after some reporters sought a byte from the Collector about implementation of government scheme in the district before talking to the parliamentarian.
Meanwhile, senior BJD leader and former minister Damodar Rout backed the MP for such reaction. “It is decency to interview the elected representative first when he is present on an occasion. Those who want to take the byte of an administrative officer first lack trust on the democracy,” Rout said.
