<p>The legislature session kicked off on Thursday with news channels boycotting coverage of the proceedings, following Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri’s decision to bar their cameras inside the Assembly.</p>.<p>A petition signed by journalists was handed over to the Speaker, who maintained that he was firm on his decision for this session at least, as a pilot exercise akin to the system prevalent in Parliament.</p>.<p>Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa found himself in knots, after he deleted a tweet in which he said he would urge the Speaker to reconsider his decision. </p>.<p>Meanwhile, condemning the decision of the Speaker, journalists' groups will stage a protest in front of Gandhi Statue at Maurya Circle, on Friday.</p>.<p>While TV cameramen and photographers were barred from recording the Assembly proceedings, they had little trouble in the Council, where they were allowed to record.</p>.<p>Yediyurappa's tweet, which was deleted quickly, also attracted controversy with the journalists' associations questioning whether the chief minister and the Speaker were on the same page with regard to the ban.</p>.<p>The chief minister had tweeted an hour before the session commenced saying, "My government is always committed to the freedom of the media. I will make sincere efforts and request Kageri to reconsider his decision on barring media from telecasting the proceedings." However, the tweet was deleted shortly after, attracting the wrath of journalists.</p>.<p>The Opposition Congress also raised the issue in the floor of the House, alleging that the Speaker was trying to scuttle democracy.</p>
<p>The legislature session kicked off on Thursday with news channels boycotting coverage of the proceedings, following Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri’s decision to bar their cameras inside the Assembly.</p>.<p>A petition signed by journalists was handed over to the Speaker, who maintained that he was firm on his decision for this session at least, as a pilot exercise akin to the system prevalent in Parliament.</p>.<p>Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa found himself in knots, after he deleted a tweet in which he said he would urge the Speaker to reconsider his decision. </p>.<p>Meanwhile, condemning the decision of the Speaker, journalists' groups will stage a protest in front of Gandhi Statue at Maurya Circle, on Friday.</p>.<p>While TV cameramen and photographers were barred from recording the Assembly proceedings, they had little trouble in the Council, where they were allowed to record.</p>.<p>Yediyurappa's tweet, which was deleted quickly, also attracted controversy with the journalists' associations questioning whether the chief minister and the Speaker were on the same page with regard to the ban.</p>.<p>The chief minister had tweeted an hour before the session commenced saying, "My government is always committed to the freedom of the media. I will make sincere efforts and request Kageri to reconsider his decision on barring media from telecasting the proceedings." However, the tweet was deleted shortly after, attracting the wrath of journalists.</p>.<p>The Opposition Congress also raised the issue in the floor of the House, alleging that the Speaker was trying to scuttle democracy.</p>
