London: Stung by adverse publicity he has attracted in media both in India and London, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on August 20 asked journalists to act as a "honey-bee" rather than a "fly" while discharging their duty.

"I would like to tell my journalist friends that the world is not only of garbage and rubbish. There are flowers and bouquets representing the positive aspect of life and they should reflect that also," Modi said after inaugurating the "Shakti Hall" of 'Gujarat Samachar', a bilingual weekly.

The Chief Minister, who faced a demonstration by a dozen people representing several organisations including South Asia Solidarity, Awaaz and Indian Council of Muslims as he arrived, said, "Journalists should not act like flies, carrying dirt from place to place and spreading disease."

"Rather they should be like the honey-bee which flies from one flower to another, savouring honey and at the same time stings severely in an adversary circumstance."

The hour-long function was attended by Lord Navnit Dholakia, leading Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and president of the Liberal Democratic Party, Barry Gardiner, MP, general secretary, Labour Friends of India, Keith Vaz, former Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Office, P C Haldar, Minister, Co- ordination in the High Commission of India, Capt Ashwini Kumar Sharma, regional director of India for UK and Ireland, and Ibrahim Master, general secretary of the Indian Workers' Association.

PTI