Gandhinagar, Gujarat
The administration, from Thursday, restricted the entry of even government-accredited journalists into chief minister Narendra Modi's recently built Rs150-crore Swarnim Sankul office in the New Secretariat. According to officials, this step had been taken following intelligence inputs warning of terrorists planning to attack the CM disguised as journalists.

Security officials at the Swarnim Sankul have been instructed not to allow any journalist in the chief minister's office (CMO) without prior approval of the official the newsperson may want to meet. On the other hand, all officials - senior and junior - of the CMO have been asked not to meet any journalists. The security officials claimed that the entry of media persons had been restricted allegedly because intelligence alerts had warned of terrorists disguised as journalists attacking the chief minister.

When asked about the restrictions, P P Vyas, DSP, Secretariat Security, said the Intelligence Bureau had warned that terrorists disguised as journalists could attack the chief minister.

"Hence, we have restricted the entry of all medi a persons. We are allowing journalists to go into the CMO if the officials they want to meet ask the policemen on duty to allow them to come in. A police officer will accompany such a journalist till the officer's cabin and the journalist will have to return with the same police official after meeting the officer,'' Vyas said.

Manish Doshi, senior Gujarat Congress leader and spokesperson, said the restriction was undemocratic and an infringement of the rights of the media.