NEW DELHI: The Press Club of India (PCI) has landed in a controversy after ‘The Kashmir Files‘ director Vivek Agnihotri accused it of denying booking to him for a press conference. Agnihotri said his booking was first cancelled by the Foreign Correspondent Club (FCC) allegedly over objections raised by some of the members and later, the Press Club of India followed suit.
Now, the event is being held in a hotel on Thursday. Taking to Twitter, Agnihotri said: “Wow! @PCITweets also cancelled me. The watchdogs of democracy and messiah of free speech not only banned me undemocratically but are also lying through their teeth. 1. Encl are the facts.
2. They have booked earlier through our agency without any member’s recco. Receipt encl.” In a series of Tweets, Agnihotri said: “When my video on FCC cancellation went viral, @PCITweets conspired with them and cancelled our presser.
These anti- free speech, anti-Truth, agenda driven elite clubs flourish on Govt’s sprawling properties in Lutyen’s Delhi. It’s time for us to expose these arrogant cheats.”
Agnihotri insisted that the club has been booking for him through an agency and did not require any member’s endorsement on the receipt. He tagged the earlier receipts issued by the PCI.
On Tuesday, the PCI said in a tweet: “The Press Club of India is not facilitating any event on May 5 by any individual or organisation. The Club allows press conferences only with advanced booking. There is a due process, and bookings have to be done through a member of the Club.”
Controversy broke after the FCC cancelled the event organised by the film director. He then said that he will organise the same in PCI but Agnihotri alleged that he was not booked for May 5 programme despite his agency pursuing it with the PCI staff.
The letter alleged that when Agnihotri’s agency called the PCI staff for booking, he was told that it can be booked as slot is vacant in May 5 and asked for making payments but when the agency employee reached there, the PCI did not book the premises and did not respond to calls.
Now, the event has been shifted to a hotel near to the Press Club of India. “Inviting all democratic and free speech, pro-TRUTH believers, media people, correspondents, reporters media activists and those with empathy for Kashmir Genocide victims tomm at 3.30 PM at Le MERIDIEN, New Delhi. ITS AN OPEN HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE. ASK ME TOUGHEST QUESTIONS,” the filmmaker tweeted.
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