PMO displaying intolerant mindset to the media: BJP

New Delhi, Sep 21 (UNI) Taking great exception to the attempts of the government for its ''intolerant mindset'' towards the freedom of the press, the BJP today asked the Congress to decide if the government should continue with the present Media Adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Referring to purported e-mails sent to high officials and scribes by PM's Media Adviser Sanjay Baru, castigating the critics of the Havana handshake as ''allies of the BJP'', party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said his party strongly condemned that.

''We understand that he has also written nasty letters to the editors of various newspapers asking them to restrain their correspondents covering the PMO or change their beats. We strongly deplore this,'' he added.

He said the nationwide criticism of the joint statement of Dr Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in Havana had baffled the PM's establishment. Finding no way to cover up the 'shameful capitulation' -- in the Cuban capital, the government is trying to use threats, abuses and intimidations with regard to the correspondents, he alleged.

He said the country was aghast about the ''U-turn'' of the PM on India's position on Pakistan vis-a-vis terror. To brand the scientists, diplomats, security experts as 'allies of the BJP' only demonstrated the 'fascist mindset' of the dark Emergency days. This volte-face had also hurt feelings of the overwhelming majority of the country, he contended.

He said the letter written to the editors also was a ''direct attack'' on the freedom of the press. ''It is now for the Congress to decide whether such an individual should be the public face of the PM,'' he said.

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