HYDERABAD: Several journalists staged a silent protest on Friday after the media persons were banned from entering the BRKR Bhavan, the makeshift Secretariat. Since the departments from the present Secretariat were shifted to the BRKR Bhavan in August, the media persons and other visitors are being denied permission to enter the BRKR Bhavan.
Initially, the officials informed that in view of the shifting of the departments, the entry of outsiders and media persons would not be allowed for some days as there was a danger of misplacement of files. But even after the shifting process was completed, the officials were not allowing the media persons to enter the BRKR Bhavan.
The journalists, who have been covering the Secretariat affairs, met Chief Secretary SK Joshi at BRKR Bhavan on Friday and lodged their protest. They also submitted a memorandum to the chief secretary.
The journalists asked the chief secretary to remove the “unofficial gagging orders”, denying the media entry into the Secretariat. Joshi informed them that it was the decision of the State government.
Joshi even advised the media persons to gather information from the PROs of the chief minister or contact the Information and Public Relations Department. The journalists told the chief secretary that not allowing the media into Secretariat amounts to “suppressing the freedom of the press”. Later, they staged a silent protest in front of BRKR Bhavan.