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New Delhi, Media today boycotted the press conference of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia after journalists were denied entry into the Delhi Secretariat, even as officials claimed that the new government has not issued any direction in this regard.
After a Cabinet meeting, Sisodia was scheduled to address the media about the government’s decisions at 5 PM.
When the deputy chief minister entered the media room adjacent to a main entry gate of the Secretariat, journalists from both electronic and print media tried to first seek his response as to why they were not allowed inside.
When Sisodia tried to pacify the journalists, photographers and cameramen, they didn’t relent and refused to attend the press conference. Seeing this, Sisodia walked away from the media room and then went towards his office.
Journalists from print and electronic media were denied entry into the Delhi Secretariat throughout the day.
When security personnels were asked about the reasons behind the ban of media’s entry, they said that they have directions from government officials in this regard.
“We have orders from senior government officials not to let mediapersons enter the premises,” a security person said, claiming having received verbal instructions from the officials to that effect.
Earlier in the day, Nagendra Sharma, media-adviser to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, also came to pacify angry media persons, saying that new government has not issued such direction which favours to ban the entry of journalists inside the Secretariat.
“Before new government took charge, a circular was already in place which banned the entry of media into the Delhi Secretariat.
“New government has issued no direction in this regard. Give me one or two days, I will sort out this matter,” Sharma told reporters here.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi met Kejriwal at the Secretariat around 11.45 AM. It was described as a courtesy call.
