Hyderabad: Following curbs on state media, preventing coverage of the XI Metropolis Congress, restrictions hit a new low on Thursday, when journalists were almost detained inside a single room at Hitex, and kept under watch until the President’s departure.
President Pranab Mukherjee was attending the event on its closing day on Thursday. Police personnel stationed at the venue were ordered to keep an eye on the journalists.
Cyberabad police cited security reasons and protocol as it said the helipad receiving the President was close to the administration block. Also, no journalist was allowed to leave this block before 5 vpm.
The government’s ban on media coverage of the meet is in response to intelligence reports that claimed few sections of the media were planning protests . All sessions were live-streamed to the media centre.
