PIB's samosa password

A "samosa" could well be a password or advance information about the future of many upcoming events. That might sound weird but not for veteran journalists covering press conferences organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB). Last week, the PIB had scheduled a press conference at 7 p m on a Cabinet meeting that would deliberate a decision on the contentious increase in administered gas prices. At around 7.30 p m, samosas were supplied. Some senior journalists immediately departed, saying, "If samosas are supplied early at a late evening press conference, it means the event may not happen. It is a password for us." They were right because the conference was cancelled at 9.15 p m.