Kolkata, Aug 23 (PTI): The media were barred from covering a high-level meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee at a five-star hotel here today.
Though the state government's information and cultural affairs department had sent invitations to a section of the media yesterday, these were cancelled hours later.
A statement said, "Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee calling on H E Shinzo Abe has been dropped due to some unavoidable circumstances. We, therefore regret to inform you that the invitation communicated to you may kindly be treated as cancelled."
Asked whether the meeting had been totally cancelled, a state government spokesman had said it would be held but the media would not be allowed to cover it.
Bhattacharjee had said last evening that only two news agencies, AIR and Doordarshan, would be allowed to cover the meeting.
On reaching the hotel this morning, representatives of AIR and Doordarshan too were prevented from going inside.
Several representatives from other news organisations too were barred from entering the hotel.
When Bhattacharjee's was told that the chief minister had allowed AIR and Doordarshan to cover the event, he said police were not allowing their entry on the ground that there would be a serious breach of security.
Though no Indian reporter was present, the meeting was covered by six members of the Japanese media.
