The Economist, BBC Journos Not Allowed into RBI Press Conference

Speculation revolved around a recent article in ‘The Economist’ which was critical of the demonetisation policy.

The Economist magazine’s correspondent in Mumbai, Stanley Pignal, was denied entry to an important RBI policy press conference today, according to his Twitter account.

Amazing stuff: @theeconomist us no longer invited to RBI policy meeting press conferences. Won't let me in. Sad day for transparency.

— Stanley Pignal (@spignal) December 7, 2016

Speculation revolved around a recent article that was published in The Economist which happened to be extremely critical of the Modi government’s demonetisation policy. But Stanley Pignal also tweeted that the RBI spokeswoman said that the magazine’s critical coverage had nothing to do with the decision to exclude him.

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 The Economist, BBC World Service was also not allowed to attend the press conference.

Journalists from various media organisations not allowed to attend the @RBI press conference including the BBC.

— Sameer Hashmi (@sameerhashmi) December 7, 2016

The decision to disallow certain media organisations from attending sparked a debate about whether the RBI was responding to critical coverage of the demonetisation move. Stanley Pignal also tweeted along similar lines.

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

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